A little girls passion for cars

Every weekend morning over the past two years Willow (3 years old) has awakened and asked her parents if they could go to a car show. As he starts the engine, the roaring of her daddy’s 71’ Nova gets her smiling from ear to ear. Willow became a car girl from the first time she rode in the Nova. Since that first car ride, she has been in three parades with her parents car club, the Northern Illinois Streeters and has more than two dozen car shows under her belt. This is every dad’s dream and a dream we would love to keep alive. One thing that Willow has yet to understand is that her daddy has an incurable brain disease in which one day will take his life.

Huntington’s Disease is a genetic degenerative brain disorder for which there is no cure or treatment. Willow’s dad was diagnosed over six years ago and since that day her parents have worked very hard to help fight the disease. Because this disease is genetic, one day her parents will need to explain to her that she has a 50/50 chance of having HD.

Typical symptoms of HD arise at the young age of 35 and can even begin in a child’s early years. Huntington’s Disease is relatively rare and so is the awareness and support to the fight to find treatments and an eventual cure.

In 2013, Willow’s parents decided to combine their passions, the HD fight and cool cars, to not only spread awareness in support of HD sufferers, but to bring them and their families together with car lovers for a fun day filled with hot rods, music, food and games.

On Saturday, September 19th from 10:00am to 4:00pm, Hot Rods for Huntington’s will be hold their third annual car show at the world-famous Volo Auto Museum in Volo, Illinois. This year Hot Rods for HD has teamed up with the Volo Auto Museum to bring you a Beers, Ears and Gears event celebrating 35th anniversary of the ‘Blues Brothers’ and raise funds and awareness for HD.

The day will be feature live musical performances by top Chicago Blues artist Jimmy Nick and the show team from the Glen Ellyn School of Rock. For a small donation, event goers will even have the opportunity to have their pictures taken with the Blues mobile! The event is known for it’s amazing silent and a day filled with laughter and the warm feeling of being with family.

Willow and her family ask for all car lovers with cool rides and families looking to attend a great show, to come out to Hot Rods for Huntington’s Disease on September 19th. Be sure to look for Willow and say hi the day of the event.

$20 to show your car or truck, any make and model is welcome, includes two wristbands into the museum. For more information you can visit the Illinois Chapter Facebook Page or donate/register HERE