^^^^^^GREETINGS  FROM^^^^^^^^^^
Ivan Suzman  47/10   [log in to unmask]
Portland, Maine   land of lighthouses  45   deg. F  daffodils opening
***********************************************************
Barbara and listmembers,

Thank you for posting Lonnie Ali's testimony on behalf of both her
husband and herself.  I am going to try to get it republished in local
newsletters.

Does anyone know what address to use to thank the Ali's for their PD
work??  Is there an e-mail or snail-mail address that Lonnie and Muhammad
Ali provide to PWP's??

Ivan Suzman

On Fri, 25 Apr 1997 15:32:25 -0400 [log in to unmask] writes:
>Testimony of Muhammad and Lonnie Ali before the House Appropriations
>Subcommittee for the Departments of Labor, Health & Human Services,
>Education
>and Related Agencies
>
>April 23, 1997
>
>     Mr. Chairman and members of this committee.  My name is Lonnie
>Ali and I
>am accompanied by my husband Muhammad Ali whom I'm sure needs no
>introduction.  The fact that I am the one speaking to you this morning
>and
>not Muhammad is one of the  principal reasons that we are here today.
>
>I am sure all of you know Muhammad suffers from Parkinson's disease, a
>progressive neurodegenerative disorder that has robbed him of one of
>his most
>prized functions... his voice, and the ability to speak clearly with
>resonance.  I believe all of you remember Muhammad's pre-Parkinson
>days when
>he moved millions with his vibrant voice and poetic expression.  In
>fact,
>Muhammad was so vocal that he was dubbed the "Louisville Lip" shortly
>after
>joining the professional ranks of boxing.
>
>My experience as a Parkinson caregiver has given me greater
>understanding
>about this disease and how it can devastate not only its victims, but
>also
>family and friends as well.  Thanks to Muhammad and the National
>Parkinson
>Foundation, I have had the opportunity to share my story as a
>caregiver with
>hundreds of others in Parkinson support groups.  More importantly,
>they have
>had the opportunity to share with me, there own personal stories of
>economic
>and emotional tragedy and hardship this terrible disease has brought
>them.
>
>In the course of our travels, I have met hundreds of Parkinson
>patients, some
>worse off than Muhammad and some not as affected.  Muhammad and I have
>come
>away from these experiences with the resolve to help in any way we can
>to
>advance the research that will hasten the cure for Parkinson's
>disease.
>
>Muhammad and I are committed to participate in fundraisers that focus
>on
>raising  funds for medical research and tonight Muhammad is being
>honored at
>such an event in Washington that is being sponsored by the Capital
>Chapter of
>the National Parkinson Foundation chaired by your colleague, Joe
>McDade, who
>also suffers from Parkinson's disease.  Our special guest will be
>Senator
>John McCain.  I would like to extend a personal invitation to each of
>you to
>join us.
>
>As you will hear from Mr. Nathan Slewett, Chairman of the National
>Parkinson Foundation, the money raised goes to support some of the
>finest
>Parkinson's research in the world.
>
>But, I can tell you first hand, more is needed!  The resources of the
>National Institutes of Health can not be matched by private
>philanthropy.
> NIH, whose appropriations your committee approves, is supporting a
>large
>amount of Parkinson's research...but not enough considering the
>research
>opportunities currently at hand.  I have been advised by some of the
>top
>Parkinson's researchers that a significant infusion of federal funds
>allocated to Parkinson's research will surely hasten the cure that
>Muhammad
>and thousands of others could personally benefit from.  Please
>consider that
>fact when you markup this years appropriations bill.
>
>Even more importantly, I want to urge that you focus on the Morris K.
>Udall
>Parkinson's Research bill, which authorizes a $100 million for
>Parkinson's
>disease research in the next fiscal year.  Muhammad and I are asking
>each of
>you become a cosponsor of this legislation, which was just
>reintroduced only
>two weeks ago; and when it is enacted into law, which it will be,
>appropriate
>the funds that it calls for so that we can rid ourselves of this
>devastating
>illness.
>
>Before I finish my remarks, I would like all of you to know that
>Muhammad was
>unwilling to speak out and help in this fight to conquer Parkinson's
>disease
>until recently when it became apparent that he might be able to make a
>difference.  I think you will agree he has.
>
>Please consider our request and pleas for your help.
>
>Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for providing us the opportunity to appear
>before
>you today.
>