This week, Marnie was thrilled to attend the Boston screening of Twitch, a poignant documentary by a courageous young woman named Kristen Powers, chronicling her mother’s diagnosis with Huntington’s Disease (HD) and her family’s story leading up to her decision to undergo genetic testing at the age of 18. Through interviews, the film shares the stories of other families affected by HD and explores some of the personal, familial, and social considerations in deciding if and when to get tested, including Kristen’s brother’s uncertainty. Ultimately, Kristen says, this is a very personal decision.

In the Q&A that followed, Kristen spoke passionately about her decision to make the film and her mission to raise awareness. Kristen hopes to release this film on-line as a resource for teachers to use in their classrooms. pgEd shares Kristen’s goal to start the conversation. For teachers interested in lessons exploring some of these issues, check out pgEd’s “Introduction to Personal Genetics.”

The Boston screening kicked off a national tour with upcoming dates in Delaware, Washington, D.C., Texas, Alabama, Spain, Iowa, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Click here to find out more. Can’t wait to see the movie? Learn more about Kristen’s decision to get tested and her results in this 2-part series in USA Today.)