Around & About the Community

Parkinson's Unity Walk Raises More Than $1 Million
At a thank-you reception held on Tuesday, June 18th, Parkinson's Unity Walk (PUW) Chairman Martin Tuchman, announced that the 2002 Unity Walk on April 14th in Central Park, NY, raised more than one million dollars from participants and sponsors. The proceeds from the event will be used to support the Parkinson's re-search programs of The American Parkinson's Disease Association, the National Parkinson Foundation, the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, the Parkinson Alliance, Parkinson's Institute, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, and the Parkinson's Action Network.

Margot Zobel and Ken Aidekman

The Board of Directors of the Parkinson's Unity Walk hosted the reception in the historic Council Chambers of City Hall in New York and applauded the hundreds of organizers, sponsors and volunteers for producing the most successful event in the Parkinson's Unity Walk's eight-year history. Evan Stern, president of the Parkinson's Unity Walk, personally thanked sponsors and volunteers for their dedication. Parkinson's Unity Walk co-founder Ken Aidekman honored founder Margot Zobel for her dedication in launching the now annual event and presented her with the Alan Bonander Humanitarian Award. For more information on the Parkinson's Unity Walk, please visit www.unitywalk.org or call (866) PUW-WALK.

Chicago-area Educational Symposium on Parkinson's
On Saturday, April 6, the Midwest Regional Office of the Parkinson's Disease Foundation (PDF) in conjunction with Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center of Chicago, joined forces to sponsor a day-long, comprehensive symposium on Parkinson's disease in the "windy city". The event was historic on two levels: it represented the first collaborative effort between the PDF and Rush Presbyterian since becoming one of the Foundation's major center grant recipients and secondly, it marked the first-ever, full scale educational seminar on PD hosted in the Chicago area involving clinical and scientific experts from neighboring institutions and beyond. The symposium promises to be the first of many educational initiatives organized by the PDF's Midwest location since its formation following the merger between PDF and the United Parkinson Foundation.

Un Jung Kang, M.D., University of Chicago scientist, addresses PDF-sponsored Chicago symposium.

Parkinson's specialists from Chicago's clinical and scientific arena, representing leading medical institutions such as the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, the University of Illinois, and Rush Presbyterian, as well as a guest speaker from Henry Ford Health System in Detroit discussed a host of topics including: neuroprotection (slowing and/or stopping PD progression); genetic and environmental factors; cell transplantation; new pharmacological treatment options; drug therapy for the newly diagnosed and the advanced patient; non-pharmacological treatment options such as physical, occupational & speech therapy; cognitive decline and depression; and surgical options.

PDF's Executive Director Robin Anthony Elliott and NPF National Program Director Ruth Hagestuen led discussions on the current national and local advocacy issues affecting the Parkinson's community. They explored the concept of utilizing various specialties in a multidisciplinary approach to assisting PWPs and their caregivers.

Transcripts of the lectures from the program are being prepared and a notice will be published in PDF News & Review when they are available.

Patients as Providers Event
Although I will never forget the friends and experiences that have brought me to this point in my life…it's the bond that I've forged with my "parkie" friends that means the most to me now. I think that's because when I'm surrounded by others who carry on the same battle that I do, I can really relax and know that my situation is far from unique and how good it feels to be one of the family of PWP's.

On Saturday, May 25, and Sunday, May 26, we held our first "Shake, Rattle & Roll for Parkinson's Disease" event in Peoria, IL beginning with the Patients as Providers symposium presented by the online support group, www.PLWP.org (People Living With Parkinson's). This was our second year hosting the symposium that consisted of a round-table discussion involving Ph.D. medical researchers, neurosurgeons, neurologists, and people who live with PD. The program was held at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria. Our presenters included Richard Weber, Ph.D. (Associate Professor of Immunopharmacology and Microbiology), who spoke on "Parkinson's: The Present and the Future", and Richard Lister, M.D. (Associate Dean for Strategic Planning and Development), whose speech was entitled: "Our Vision: A Center of Excellence." We also heard from Carol Walton, Executive Director of the Parkinson Alliance, who spoke about the advances in treatments for PD and how scientists are coming ever closer to the eventual cure.

Following the symposium, a "parkie picnic" took place at the St. Edward School Gym. Everyone enjoyed the food, camaraderie and friendship as they celebrated the upcoming marriage of Tom Kelly and Tami McNamera and the birthdays of Laura Dean (Harley), Ann Campbell (AJ) and Dr. Rick.

Jimmie Turner (left) finishes the walk on two crutches...the entire 3 miles!

The festivities on Sunday morning took place downtown at Le Vieux Carre, a wonderful, 100-year-old building that was restored by proprietor Pat Sullivan to resemble the French Quarter buildings in New Orleans. This lovely building was covered with black and red balloons and set up with a variety of tables for registration, food (all of which was donated), welcome, raffle and prizes.

The warm and breezy weather was just right for the more than 200 participants who took part in the "roll and stroll" walkathon that followed. The crowd was wonderful, considerate, and truly committed to the cause, raising approximately $15,000 for Parkinson's research.

200+ walkers + 1 beautiful day + lots of caring=almost $15,000 and acres of fun.

Amidst the balloons and jazz music, everyone listened for their number to be called during the raffle to win a myriad of prizes including $250 sunglasses donated from Maui Jim; an overnight stay at the downtown Holiday Inn City Centre with dinner for two at Jim's Downtown Steakhouse and a horse-drawn carriage ride; books by Michael J. Fox, A.J. Campbell and Carol Hurcon from the PD listserve and handmade Raggedy Anne & Andy dolls made by PLWP member Jane Ross.

I appreciate the work of the countless others who gave of their time, treasure and talent to help make this our most successful PD event to date.

By Joan Snyder

Hancock Golf Tournament

How does one go about creating a "living memorial" to a beloved and respected former leader who lived with Parkinson's? The folks at Hancock Survey Associates, in Salem, MA, do it as well as you could imagine.

Six years ago, to honor their founder and President, Frank Hancock, who had Parkinson's disease, they decided to put together a golf tournament to raise money for Parkinson's research. Some 41 people attended and the proceeds — about $2,300 — were sent to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation. In 2002 — just a year after Mr. Hancock's death — the event drew 142 players and netted more than $10,000 for Parkinson's research.

left to right: Donald Desmond, Jeffrey Loeb, Wayne Jalbert, Robin Elliott, Dan Casey & Jim Cote

Among the many things that make the organizers proud is the increasing number of local companies that have joined in the sponsorship of the outing, both by putting up funds and by releasing their employees to play in the event. The law firms of Ardiff & Morse, P.C., and Cote & Casey, both participants in the annual event since its inception, are now co-sponsoring this tournament with Hancock Survey Associates.

Pictured with Robin Elliott, PDF's Executive Director, are Donald Desmond, President of Hancock Associates and colleague Wayne Jalbert, with corporate sponsors, Jeffrey Loeb of MacLean Holloway and Dan Casey and Jim Cote of Cote & Casey. Mr. Elliott's bow tie won him the prize for the "best-dressed" (more, he tells us, than he would ever have been able to win out on the golf course). How do you create a living memorial? The Hancock family's answer seems to be getting a lot of people involved in doing something good for others while having fun. Our hats are off to Hancock — the man, his organization, the people around him, and the living memory.

Parkinsonian People
Hidden down there in the dust and heat of Tyler, Texas, 100 miles east of Dallas, can be found one of the most resourceful and useful media organizations in all of the Parkinson's community. Parkinsonian People, which describes itself confidently as "the independent tabloid newspaper by and for parkinsonians," is a unique monthly newspaper for PWPs everywhere. The brainchild of Dr. Barry Green, a PWP of 10 years who also serves as its executive editor and Chair of the Board of Directors, the monthly tabloid is now in its eighth year. Stunningly, it has also been self-sufficient financially for the past five years. Even more stunningly, it makes do without requiring subscriptions from readers; although contributions are welcome, the paper survives mainly on the beneficence of local foundations and corporations in East Texas.

The editorial content of each 32-page edition covers the Parkinson's world, from federal reimbursement policy for deep-brain stimulation, to personal testimonials about living with PD, to profiles of various PD web sites. Little corners of the paper blossom like spring flowers with touching poems by some PWPs and affecting tributes to others. Tips for living with the condition get prominent attention, as does news of opportunities for legislative action in support of the Parkinson's agenda. The whole enterprise is a tour de force and an amazing tribute to the energy and tenacity of its editorial and business leadership.

To get your name on the mailing list, simply call the editor at (903) 509-0054 or fax him your name and address to (903) 509-3211. Bravo, Barry!