I am thrilled to write to you now as the CEO of the HSG. The last two months are a blur, but looking back I am very grateful to many in the HSG who have given me this opportunity. I would especially thank our outgoing CEO, Shari Kinel, and the board of the HSG for believing in me and recognizing the great opportunity to redefine our mission.
The most important aspect of the HSG is the people. The clinicians, coordinators, social workers, staff, and everyone who dedicates their lives to HD care. I am committed to creating an environment where we can work together to improve the lives of those that suffer from HD, and those that care for HD.
It is an understatement that we live in difficult times. I am keenly aware of the clinical challenges that we encounter: not enough resources, not enough time, not enough space. These create great challenges that can sometimes feel immense.
How can the HSG help? I look forward to meeting you in Cincinnati to start formulating an answer to this question. Briefly, I believe we start by going back to what got us here in the first place: the love of patients and desire to find new treatments. The annual meeting may look slightly different from past years, but we are focusing on clinical issues and research topics that are of primary importance to our patients.
This edition captures some of these issues. As we consider new research efforts that target ‘early patients’, we need to define what early means. The neuropsychology working group of the HSG has published a position paper about non-motor manifestations of HD. Those of us in clinic have encountered many patients with these symptoms. I think this is an important step, especially as we consider psychiatric, behavioral, cognitive and sleep issues that are noted by many patients. All of these are described in this edition, and I hope you find it thought-provoking.
Once again, thank you for reading, and I look forward to seeing you soon.
Daniel Claassen