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Shana Verstegen: My mom was diagnosed with Huntington's Disease.
It's a neurological brain disorder, and through a degradation in your brain, you basically
begin losing your ability to walk, to talk, to chew and swallow, to take care of yourself.
(Text on screen): American Council on Exercise PROfiles
Shana Verstegen, Personal Trainer, Madison, WI
Shana Verstegen: We basically went home from the doctor, from that diagnosis, knowing that
my childhood and teenage years would be filled with caregiving for my mom.
And my parents both wanted to make sure I had the most normal, normal life and childhood
possible.
And they opened up the YMCA catalog for me and said, "Pick whatever sports you want to
do after school."
So, I was allowed two to three hours, every day after school, to just do sports and to
be myself and to not think about my mom's sickness and the stresses that school and
the stresses at home.
And it was so much more important to me than winning in the sporting events. It was never,
ever about winning.
It was that time to go there, to be with my friends, to be stupid, to get yelled at by
my coach.
And my mom, for as long as she could, she came to all my sporting events and she really
supported me, as my dad always has, as well.
And that kept me going through all those really tough years.
And unfortunately early this year we did lose her.
But she was such a fighter.
And, again, we see most people with Huntington's only make it about 15 years.
She fought that thing for over 30 years and was an unbelievable fighter.
And we were so grateful to have her as long as we did and to be able to share with her
all those awesome sporting and travel experiences I had.
(Text on screen): ACE: American Council on Exercise