Around & About the Community

Parkinson’s Unity Walk Raises Awareness of Parkinson’s Disease On Sunday, April 14th, close to 6,000 walkers gathered in sunny Central Park to participate in a two-mile walkathon to carry out event founder, Margot Zobel’s, vision to bring PD to an end one step at a time.

The opening ceremonies featured noted broadcaster Dr. Frank Field, Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Margot Zobel, Martin Tuchman, Chairman, Evan Stern, President, Robin Elliott, Executive Director of Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, Michael J. Fox, and Joan I. Samuelson, Esq., President of Parkinson’s Action Network. Additionally, title sponsors Pharmacia Corporation and Boehringer Ingelheim, makers of MIRAPEX® (pramipexole dihydrochlodride tablets), presented the first ever MIRAPEX® Victories Research Award. Designed to encourage scientists who are committed to neurological research in the field of Parkinson’s disease, the $10,000 grant was presented to M. Flint Beal, M.D., Neurologist-in-Chief at New York Presbyterian Hospital and Professor and Chairman of Neurology at Cornell University Medical College.

Festivities prior to and after the Walk included live music by The Dom Minasi Septet, activities for children — such as face painting, balloons, and sign making — the latest information on PD from major U.S. foundations and corporate sponsors, and an “Ask the Doctor” area with Parkinson’s medical experts answering questions.

All proceeds raised from the Walk are designated for Parkinson’s research and will be distributed among the major U.S. Parkinson’s disease foundations, including the American Parkinson Disease Association, the National Parkinson Foundation, the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, the Parkinson Alliance, the Parkinson’s Institute, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, and the Parkinson’s Action Network.

For more information about the Parkinson’s Unity Walk, please call 1-866-PUW-WALK (1-866-789-9255) or visit www.unitywalk.org.

Team Parkinson Sets New Fundraising Record at Los Angeles Marathon On March 3, 2002, seventy two athletes, many with PD, set a new record by raising over $90,000 for Team Parkinson when they participated in LA Marathon events. The LA Marathon is the fourth largest in the world. Team Parkinson, an official charity of the LA Marathon, was founded by Mary Yost three years ago to increase Parkinson’s disease public awareness and raise funds for research. At the LA Marathon/Honda media luncheon on February 21st, John Ball and May May Ali were honored for their support of Team Parkinson. Additionally, Team Parkinson had a booth at the Quality of Life Expo at the LA Convention Center. On March 2nd, Team Parkinson athletes, sponsors and volunteers attended a carbo-loading dinner at Taix French Restaurant. During dinner, Dr. Marie Francoise Chesselet from UCLA and Dr. Michael Jakowec from USC spoke on research developments in the Parkinson’s area. They stressed how vital fundraising for research is and inspired everyone with hope for the future.

On race day, 22 Team Parkinson athletes participated in the 26.2 mile Marathon, 15 in the 20+mile Acura LA Bike Tour, and 35 in the 3.1 mile LA Times 5K Run/Walk, including Mrs. Sydelle Mills, who was pushed in a wheelchair by her husband, Harold and their son, Mitchell.

For more information on how you can get involved with Team Par-kinson, please contact Edna Ball via telephone at (562)692-8504, e-mail at teamparkinson@hotmail.com, or the web at www.teamparkinsonla.org.

ParkinSong
The Parkinson Alliance of Princeton, NJ presented the 2nd annual ParkinSong concert to benefit PD research on Saturday, April 13th at Council Rock High School in Newtown, PA. Originated in honor of Selma Litowitz of Lawrenceville, NJ, ParkinSong is dedicated to her and all others facing the challenges of Parkinson’s disease.

This year’s event was hosted by Pierre Robert, an icon of the Philadelphia radio scene and 93.3 WMMR radio personality. Funds from the concert will support the R21 Fast Track Grant Program, an unprecedented collaboration between National Institutes of Health and private PD organizations to fund the program of $11 million in Parkinson’s research grants. The Alliance is proud to be a part of this initiative. Call 1-800-579-8440 for more information about Alliance events.

The Richard Linn Memorial: Annual Snowfest
Even though mother nature was not cooperative this year, the friends and supporters of the Richard Linn Memorial (aka Dead Eye Dick’s Annual Snowfest) didn’t let the lack of snow weaken their resolve to support PD research. The annual snowmobile fundraiser in Crystal Falls, Michigan was originally scheduled for mid-January. But, as the date approached without sign of the much awaited snow, the event had to be postponed until late February and eventually cancelled.

However, the winter enthusiasts of the north are a strong and determined lot. In spite of the lack of snow this year, countless supporters of the Richard Linn Memorial sent in contributions totaling $6,250 to help advance the research efforts of the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation.