Madison Reporter

The Huntington's Disease Society of America's Wisconsin Chapter hosted a 2022 Madison Re-Prom event to raise money for the university's Huntington's Disease Center for Excellence.

Jane Paulsen, professor of neurology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the prom queen, said that the goal was to raise money for Huntington's Disease programs.

"This is really the first couple of decades in our history of time that we've been able to say we're starting to learn so much about the brain that we are beginning to feel like we may be able to not just treat brain disease, but prevent brain disease," Paulsen said.

WKOW reported that the university's Huntington's Disease Center for Excellence, helps people who have Huntington's Disease, along with providing education on the disease.

According to the news station, the disease is terminal and impacts the nerve cells in the brain and 41,000 people in the country currently have the disease and 20,000 Americans are at risk of inheriting it.

Shana Verstegen, who hosted the event, posted on Facebook that she had doubts about the ability to raise money during an ongoing pandemic.

“The big take-away,” she wrote. “We raised $154,000 for the Huntington’s Disease Society of America’s Wisconsin Chapter and I am still pinching myself. And you can still donate at www.madisonreprom.com.”

Verstegen added that she stayed positive and went ahead with the planning of the event for people who suffer from the disease.

“The longer story. Doubt,” she wrote. “I was filled with it. It’s been a nasty few years for people with Huntington’s Disease and their families. Failed drug trials, loss of many loved ones, and trying to navigate safe activities, caregiving and nursing home placement in the middle of a deadly pandemic. I didn’t want to host the Re-Prom charity event that is so near and dear to my family and so many others this year.”

Verstegen added that she often battled tears during the event.

“I was then able to bring on stage Chris Guzikowski, a man I had only met over the past year with his recent diagnosis of HD,” she wrote. “More tears flowed as I watched his proud daughters and wife stand by his side and crown him on stage. And then we welcomed an absolute legend in the Huntington’s community: Dr. Jane Paulsen. Standing side by side we had a hero fighting Huntington’s Disease and another hero who is trying to find a way to prevent it.”