If you enter this world knowing you are loved and you leave this world knowing the same, then everything that happens in between can be dealt with.
(Michael Jackson)
Obituary
DARK, Kimberley Jane (KJ): On March 30, 2020, we said goodbye to our amazing daughter, sister, wife, granddaughter, niece, cousin and friend to so many. KJ you have put up an amazing fight, you never gave up and you taught us all so much about acceptance and unconditional love. Your feisty and fun loving, joke playing spirit will be remembered forever. "Safe travels our gorgeous girl" We never imagined that we wouldn't be able to have a Funeral Service to farewell KJ, but due to the current circumstances this just isn't possible. We will be holding a Memorial Service to celebrate KJ and will advise the details at a later date.
Published in The Press on Apr. 1, 2020.
At the age of 21, KJ was diagnosed with Huntington's Disease (HD). HD is a rare, inherited, neuro-degenerative disorder and each child of an affected parent has a 50% chance of inheriting the disease.
HD affects all parts of the brain, eventually leads to death, and currently there is no cure. The age of onset of symptoms, and the rate of disease progression depends on the CAG repeat count (the number of times that the defective gene is repeated within each strand of DNA). KJ's repeat count was 54, her first notable, physical symptoms occurred at age 22 and she passed away at age 39.
While there is a wide range of symptoms that can affect each person, KJ predominantly had those which affected her movements, balance, thinking and reasoning. Towards the end of her life, KJ was totally dependent on others to do even the simplest things.
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