This morning on NPR’s Morning Edition we listened to the story of Charles Sabine, a former war correspondent for NBC, who discovered four years ago that he has the gene for Huntington’s Disease. Sabine had watched his father suffer tremendously from Huntington’s and had for years put off having a genetic test that would tell him if he would share the same fate.

While the 49 year old Sabine hasn’t had any problems yet, he says, “Not an hour goes by when I don’t watch myself for symptoms. Every time I take the dogs out for a walk, I wonder if this is the first time that I’m going to trip, and my coordination has started to fade. Not an hour goes by when I don’t picture how my life will drain away.”

Though he clearly struggles with what his future holds, he remains optimistic and dedicated to getting the word out about Huntington’s Disease and genetic testing. “It might be too late for me, but I might be able to provide the testing ground to find something that can prevent this awful disease affecting generations to come.”

You can listen to Charles’s story on the NPR website. To learn more about genetic testing options visit Know Your Genes website.