Sudbury Huntington Society selling amaryllis bulbs to raise funds

The Sudbury branch of the HuntingtonSociety is selling amaryllis bulbs this month as part of a nationwide initiative to raise money for people dealing withthe debilitating disease.

Rita Deschene, president of the local branch, has spent her entire lifearound people with Huntington's, including her father and her older brother.

The disease, which she says is like having Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and schizophrenia all at once, has a ripple effect in families because it's hereditary. There is no cure.

"My middle brother decided not to have any children because he wasn't sure if he had the disease or not, so it's a choice everybody has to make," she told CBC'sMorning North.

Deschene, who does not have the gene forthe disease, started the Sudbury chapter four years ago. The group meets for coffee once a month, fundraises and brings in guest speakers.

"It's deteriorating, so the more information you have out there, and you understand, it helps when you're going through the stages [of the disease]," she said.

The condition affects about 5,000 Canadians.

The bulbs are $15. Deschene said she planted some and they're "absolutely beautiful." Anyone looking to buy their own can email Deshene athd.sudbury@live.ca and put 'amyrillis' in the subject line.