Watching your mother wither away—and eventually die—from an incurable brain disorder would be horrific enough for most people. But Danielle survived that burden only to find she was doomed to the same fate. Knowing it isn't a matter of “if” but “when”. Danielle refuses to let her terminal diagnosis of Huntington’s Disease stop her from living a full life.

Tags: Huntington's disease, genetic disease, death with dignity, life after death

Born and raised in the Berkshires, Danielle studied communications and marketing at Western New England University in Springfield, MA. She is currently vice-president for customer success at Merit, a tech company in Albany, and lives in Troy, NY, with her boyfriend, a crazy puppy and a love for traveling. When she has spare time, Danielle meditates and practices yoga for physical and mental strength.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx