Holly was diagnosed with Huntington's Disease in October 2023. Her husband Mikey says the UC Davis care team didn't just treat her — they walked into the journey with them.
Holly was diagnosed with Huntington's Disease in Sacramento in October 2023 — by the UC Davis care team who would go on to become, in her husband Mikey's words, true partners in their journey.
Mikey and Holly speak about their experience with the UC Davis HD Center of Excellence
"Their care for us is not transactional," Mikey says. "They are in this journey with us."
It's a distinction that matters enormously to families navigating HD. So much of medicine is transactional — appointments, prescriptions, referrals, forms. What the UC Davis HD Center of Excellence offers is something rarer: a team that shows up for the whole person, and the whole family.
Meeting Patients Where They Are
Every HD patient's journey is different. The progression varies. The emotional experience varies. The family dynamic varies. What Mikey noticed immediately about the UC Davis team was their commitment to meeting Holly — and him — exactly where they were.
"Each patient's journey is unique in and of themselves," he explains, "and they aim to meet us where we are to best support us in that moment."
That support takes many forms. Physical therapy. Occupational therapy. Help navigating the administrative side — including filing for disability, which for many families is as overwhelming as the diagnosis itself. And virtual support groups, for both patients and their families, creating connection with others who truly understand.
"That to me is what is so empowering," Mikey says. "The boots on the ground — making the most difference."
The Team Behind Holly's Care
Mikey wanted to name the people who have shown up for his family. Not just the institution — the individuals.
"The team here locally that's making the most difference for us is Dr. Duffy, Dr. Campos, Dr. Hart, Lisa Mooney, and the rest of the team behind the scenes who I know are there advocating and supporting us regularly."
He paused before adding: "I don't know what I would be doing without them. They are responsive. They are timely. They are supportive. They are understanding."
For a family in the middle of one of life's hardest seasons, those four words — responsive, timely, supportive, understanding — are everything.
What This Means at a National Level
Beyond their own experience, Mikey and Holly see the UC Davis team as part of something larger — a national movement pushing the frontier of HD research, advocacy, and eventual cure.
The HDSA nationally, Mikey notes, is at the forefront of R&D, organizing events for awareness and fundraising, and helping to push advocacy for everyone affected by HD.
And locally, the UC Davis team is the embodiment of that mission.
"We cannot have the quality of life that we have if it wasn't for you," Mikey said directly to the team. "Thank you to the HDSA and specifically to the UC Davis team."
Holly, characteristically direct, added her own thanks: "Thanks guys for helping me figure out how to take care of myself to the best of my ability."
Why This Story Matters to NVforHD
The UC Davis HD Center of Excellence is NVforHD's chosen cause for both 2025 and 2026. The clinic serves over 90 Northern Nevada families and operates entirely on private donation.
Mikey and Holly's story is exactly why. Behind every dollar raised at the golf tournament is a real family — navigating something unimaginable, held up by a team that refuses to be merely transactional.
Join us May 29, 2026 at Gray's Crossing Golf Club, Truckee, CA. Every round of golf goes directly to the UC Davis HD Center of Excellence. Register or donate →
