I am curious...Why are all your messages High Priority?

M


----- Original Message -----
From: "Emily and Julian Brinac" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, May 23, 2002 7:51 AM
Subject: Re: Fox wins rare U.S. senate applause for public struggle with
Parkinson's


> Murray,
> Thank you for sharing this incredible article with us.
> Emily
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Murray Charters" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Thursday, May 23, 2002 8:28 AM
> Subject: Fox wins rare U.S. senate applause for public struggle with
> Parkinson's
>
>
> > May 22nd. 2002
> > Fox wins rare U.S. senate applause for public struggle with
> Parkinson's
> >
> > WASHINGTON (CP) -- The shoulders constantly rocked and rolled,
> > an elbow would occasionally dart out involuntarily and his speech
> > slurred as Michael J. Fox struggled to control the symptoms
> > of Parkinson's during congressional testimony.
> >
> > On this day, he surrendered to the disease, interrupted his prepared
> > remarks and ended his address earlier than he had hoped.
> >
> > "I'll shorten my comments," the Edmonton-born actor-activist told
> > senators riveted Wednesday by so public a battle with the debilitating
> > illness.
> >
> > Then the sound of applause -- usually forbidden by the archaic rules
> > of Senate committee hearings -- began rolling through the large
> > committee room. The sustained wave worked its way around the room
> > washed over Fox as he finally was able to sit back in his chair and
> > regain a measure of his physical equanimity.
> >
> > Only then did Fox attempt to take a sip of the glass of water in front
> > of him.
> >
> > "This is an unusual hearing where there's applause," said Senator
> > Arlen Specter, the Pennsylvania Republican.
> >
> > "There's a lot of love in this room."
> >
> > The affection was shared by Fox and Muhammad Ali, the former
> > heavyweight champ also afflicted with a form of Parkinson's disease.
> >
> > Celebrities often turn up on Capitol Hill to shill for research
> dollars.
> > Their glamour and star-power draw attention and pressure on
> > legislators who control the billions of dollars in scientific funds
> > available in the United States.
> >
> > Almost none of these celebrities would risk dimming their star-
> wattage
> > by daring to turn up for their congressional call with a hair out of
> place
> > or a blemish uncovered by artfully applied make-up.
> >
> > But the senators on the Labour, Health and Human Services and
> > Education Subcommittee got an eye-full of celebrity frailty during
> > their hearing on Parkinson's disease.
> >
> > Ali allowed his wife to deliver his remarks. The world's greatest
> boxer
> > sat before the senators trembling, with his eyes closed. Lonnie Ali
> > patiently explained that the disease had not only robbed her husband
> > of his extraordinary physical gifts and his prodigious confidence,
> > but had also made him light-sensitive.
> >
> > Parkinson's Disease is a degenerative neurological condition that
> > robs sufferers of control of their limbs and extremities while leaving
> > their mental capacities intact.
> >
> > Some of those afflicted, such as Pope John Paul, might experience
> > a slight trembling of the hand. Others can barely control all of their
> > motor skills. Still others suffer from slurred speech.
> >
> > Most Parkinson's patients are closer to 60 or 70. But about
> > 10 per cent of sufferers are under 40, a proportion of whom have
> > histories of drug abuse or exposure to toxic metals. Some, such as
> > Fox, are just plain unlucky.
> >
> > Fox, who grew up in Vancouver, had to leave his hit television series
> > Spin City due to the disease.
> >
> > Fox began by flashing some of the sass of Alex P. Keaton, the
> > kid- conservative he played for years on the television program
> > Family Ties.
> >
> > "Is it just me or were you sitting in different seats the last time
> > I was here?" he asked, tweaking the Democrats who won control
> > of the Senate after a Republican defection last year.
> >
> > "It's back to the future," shot back Tom Harkin, the Iowa Democrat
> > who regained the chairmanship of the sub-committee.
> >
> > The pint-sized star has used humour relentlessly to put people
> > at ease about his uncontrollable fidgeting ever since he went
> > public four years ago about his battle with the brain disease.
> >
> > "Having Parkinson's at an auction can be an expensive proposition,"
> > he wrote in Lucky Man, his memoir that is now enjoying a ride atop
> > best-seller lists.
> >
> > Not even humour could mask the fact that Fox's condition has not
> > improved since he last appeared before a congressional committee
> > last year.
> >
> > Sinemet, the medication prescribed to keep his shaking under
> > control, limits his involuntary movements somewhat, but only for
> > maddeningly brief periods of time.
> >
> > As it stands, Parkinson's sufferers like him have little choice
> > beyond listening to a physician tell him how quickly the disease
> > is robbing him of his life while taking medication to control some
> > of the symptoms, Fox said.
> >
> > "It's not a great proposition," he said.
> >
> > "But the time has come where the brain is no longer just a place
> > for research, but a place for cures."
> >
> > Controversial stem-cell research holds out some hope for brain
> > regeneration. Future research may be limited by political battles
> > because stem cell lines come from aborted fetuses.
> >
> > "Seeing the possibilities only increases our frustration and
> > impatience over what is not getting done," Fox said.
> >
> > "We're going to get this done."
> >
> > SOURCE: Canoe / Canada Newswire
> > http://www.canoe.ca/WorldTicker/CANOE-wire.Parkinsons-Fox.html
> >
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