Our Story
What would you do if you knew you had a 50% chance of inheriting a fatal
brain disorder? What if you were 18 years old and decided to find out NOW if
you will develop this disease? What kinds of choices would you make about
marriage, children, career, life? Twitch is the first documentary to follow a young person
(Kristen Powers, 18) going through genetic testing for Huntington's Disease, a
genetic neurological brain disorder that destroys the victim's ability to walk,
talk, think and reason, eventually leading to death. Kristen watched her mother
lose an eight-year battle with the disease in 2011; she has a 50% chance of
inheriting the same fate. The documentary will explore the struggles of
Kristen's mum, Nicola Powers, who lived with the diagnosis from 2003 to 2011.
The film will chronicle the emotional, political, economic, social and medical aspects
of undergoing this important test as well as the impact of the test results on
a teen’s day-to-day life and future. It will explain the science through
interviews with major Huntington's Disease experts and activists who will
provide deeper insight into the complexities and hopes buried in the
disease.
The Impact
This documentary will follow Kristen Powers as she discovers
whether or not she’s inherited the same disease that killed her mother. It will
also raise awareness about Huntington's Disease to help reduce the stigma that
surrounds this brain disease that affects speech, mobility and thinking. By
sparking a national conversation about this disease, we can hopefully make this
generation the last one with the disease through education, participation in
clinical trials, and research funds. Finding a cure could potentially unlock
the mysteries to other neurological illnesses such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer’s,
ALS and various forms of dementia.
What We Need & What You Get
Please donate money to the Twitch documentary fund. The first $10,000 raised will fund the
genetic testing portion of the documentary, covering five filming days of the
test, the test results, interviews with family and friends and B-roll footage.
It will pay for a producer, director, camera operators and audio
technician.
If this Phase 1 goal is not reached, we will use whatever funds
are raised to pay for the most crucial parts of filming (the test day and test results
day) and will continue our efforts to raise more money to complete the final
interviews of Phase 1 filming.
Our perks are awesome too! We’d love to give you recognition
for your donation as well as keep you in the loop. If you are super-passionate
about our project, we will acknowledge it on our DVDs and any film festivals we
are accepted into.
Our goal for the documentary is approximately $100,000 which
will pay for travel to interview experts, camera/production crew, animation and
graphics, music and editing. We’re planning to take the documentary on the
festival circuit, distribute it to TV networks such as HBO and PBS and create DVDs.
Other Ways You Can Help
Please help us spread the word via Twitter, Facebook, etc.
If you want to learn more about Huntington's Disease, please visit the
Huntington's Disease Society of America's website.
Thank you for supporting my quest to bring the national
spotlight on this disease and the controversy of genetic testing.
