Wright State’s baseball team hopes to strike out Huntington’s Disease

Nationwide, an estimated 30,000 people are battling Huntington’s Disease (HD) and one of those people fighting is Lee Smith. Smith was diagnosed with HD in 2012.

“It’s a genetic neurological disorder. It attacks the cells in the brain so it affects the individual both mentally and physically,” said Mike Smith, Lee’s husband.

The Smiths’ son, Joe Smith, former Wright State baseball player and current Anaheim Angels pitcher, along with his wife, created helpcurehd.com after his mom’s diagnosis. The website gives information about HD and also a link to help researchers at the Cleveland Clinic find a cure.

The Smiths’ goal is to raise $2 million to support a study of deep-brain stimulation that could be useful for people battling HD.

On May 13, the Wright State baseball team raised $5,600 for the study from ticket sales and blue hats sold at a doubleheader at Nischwitz Stadium.