Huntington’s disease is not just lived through the body or the mind. It’s lived with the heart. It affects families, relationships, choices, silences, questions – and an incredible amount of strength. That’s why being in a space where everyone understands exactly what you’re talking about makes such a difference. This is the power of HD conferences: they become places where you feel less alone, more understood, and more alive.

My journey in this community began in 2017, at the Vatican, when I realized for the first time that I wasn’t alone. Since then, I haven’t stopped. Every conference I’ve attended has been a stepping stone on a path that has changed me deeply: Bologna, Glasgow, Blankenberge, Strasbourg… Different cities, same beating heart. Every time I step into a conference, I feel that unexplainable energy—that mix of emotion, anticipation, and awareness. It’s like coming home after being away for far too long.

But it’s not just about me. In 2023, in Blankenberge, my dad attended his very first international HD event. At first, he was quiet and cautious, his eyes wide with curiosity. Then, something shifted. He met Javier, an incredible man with whom he discovered so many shared experiences and values. A true, lasting friendship was born—one that still lives on today through messages, calls, and a bond that crosses borders. Watching him open up and make meaningful connections was deeply moving. It reminded me how powerful it is, even for those who carry the weight of HD in silence, to find someone who truly understands.

Attending a conference isn’t just about listening to sessions. It’s about connecting with people who look into your eyes and get it—without you having to explain. It’s about hugging someone who carries your same pain, and your same hope. It’s about hearing from scientists who make you feel part of the research, part of the change. It’s about dancing at a party where, just for one night, HD stays outside the room.

The 2025 conference in Prague was exactly like that. The words, the laughter, the silences, the tears we shared—every moment felt real and meaningful. I met people I had only known online, and I met others I know will be part of my life forever. And it doesn’t matter how far apart our cities, our languages, or our stories are—the connection built in those days is real. And it lasts.

For me, these conferences have become a tradition. A need. A gift. Because every time I return home, I carry more awareness, more strength, and more love. And every time, something inside me shifts. Sometimes it’s a small change. Other times it feels like an emotional earthquake. But it’s always something that makes me grow.

That’s why I’m already looking forward to the next EHA Congress in Bucharest, in September 2025—with butterflies in my stomach and my heart wide open. I know it’ll be another chance to hug, to learn, to be inspired—and maybe, to inspire someone else too.

If you’re reading this and wondering whether to go… just do it. Do it for yourself. For your family. For all the questions you have and all the answers you haven’t found yet. Do it even just to sit next to someone who gets it without you saying a word. Because sometimes, during those days, something magical happens: you feel like you belong to something bigger. And in the middle of all the challenges, you realize there’s still so much beauty.

See you in Bucharest.