Ivan, m'dear...... I've gotta call ya on your use of the term "celebrate" in
reference to "World Parkinson's Day."  It makes me nauseous to  see the word
"celebrate" when we're talking about this horrific disease.

I looked up "celebrate" in the thesaurus, and was astounded to find hundreds
of ways to express that word - and virtually ALL used it to define some joyful
event.  JOYFUL event?

YIKES!!   THAT'S not how I feel about PD or the events of the day on April
11!!!!!!

I see April 11 as a day for reflection, a day to honor those who have so
valiantly and publicly carried the Parkinson's banner for ALL to see, instead
of remaining invisible.  I see the day as a collective, public SCREEEEEEAM of
frustration made by people who otherwise would NEVER exhibit themselves in
such a manner - people who were brought up by both parents and society to not
"air their dirty linen" where the whole world can see it.

By "going public," about having a terrible disease and calling the "public
conscience" on the carpet by reminding that self-same public that once out of
the closet, we're not going BACK - we're visible and we're going to STAY
visible till there no longer is a reason to do so IS "airing dirty linen" by
many.

So Ivan, dear friend, I suggest you grab your thesaurus and come up with a
replacement word  to describe World Parkinson's Day, and when we next  have a
REASON to "celebrate" vis a vis PD, let's pray we'll be celebrating the CURE!

Go get 'em, tiger!

With love....

Barb Mallut
[log in to unmask]



----------
From:   Parkinson's Information Exchange on behalf of Ivan M Suzman
Sent:   Monday, April 06, 1998 3:50 AM
To:     Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN
Subject:        House-Senate RESOLUTIONS-any other states?

^^^^^^WARM GREETINGS  FROM^^^^^^^^^^
Ivan Suzman      48/11                 [log in to unmask]
Portland, Maine   land of lighthouses    34   deg. F overccst
***********************************************************
MAINE House-Senate RESOLUTION (S. 868)
******************************************************************************
******
Dear Listmembers,

Karen Bardo and I will be on WCSH-TV in Portland, Maine at 12:30 today.
The RESOLUTION below will be mentioned, as will our APRIL 11 celebration
of World Parkinsons' Day.

Have  any other states adopted Parkinson's Awareness legislative
resolutions?

Ivan



On 20 Mar 1998 16:52:13 -0500 "Delfranco, Judi"
<[log in to unmask]> writes:
>JOINT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING PARKINSON'S
>DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH
>
> WHEREAS, Parkinson's disease is a brain disorder that usually affects
>
>adults over 40, although it can appear in younger persons; and
>
> WHEREAS, Parkinson's disease, or Paralysis Agitans, is a devastating,
>
>painful and incurable brain disorder of unknown origin that disrupts
>and
>can end the lives of those who suffer from it as well as overwhelming
>the
>lives of their families and friends; and
>
> WHEREAS, more individuals suffer from Parkinson's disease than
>multiple
>sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrig's disease combined; and
>
> WHEREAS, Parkinson's disease often takes an enormous emotional,
>psychological and physical toll on the families surrounding their
>suffering loved ones; and
>
> WHEREAS, Parkinson's disease appears eventually in approximately one
>of
>4 persons older than 80 years of age and in one of 10 persons older
>than
>60 years of age, thereby directly touching the lives of at least one
>of
>10 families in the State; and
>
> WHEREAS, according to the American Parkinson Disease Association
>there
>are approximately 1.5 million people in the United States diagnosed
>with
>Parkinson's disease, of which 7,000 or more are in the State of Maine;
>
>and
>
> WHEREAS, the symptoms of Parkinson's disease - stillness, tremors,
>slowness, poor movement and difficulty with balance and speaking are
>
>often mistaken as a normal part of the aging process; and
>
> WHEREAS, the cause of the disease is unknown, and drugs can only
>control
>some of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease for a short period of
>time;
>and
>
> WHEREAS, the historic and crucial Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Disease
>
>Research Act of 1997, which would provide up to $100,000,000 of
>funding
>specifically for Parkinson's disease, has recently been passed by the
>
>Congress after a courageous 4-year struggle by Parkinson's sufferers
>
>usually too sick to go to Washington; and
>
> WHEREAS, the entire congressional delegation from Maine was the first
>
>delegation from any state to join in cosponsoring the Udall
>Parkinson's
>legislation; and
>
> WHEREAS, April 11th has been proclaimed to be World Parkinson's Day,
>a
>day for all to recognize the need for more research and help in
>dealing
>with the devastating effects of Parkinson's disease; and
>
> WHEREAS, increased education and research are needed to help find
>more
>effective treatments and ultimately a cure for Parkinson's disease and
>to
>provide more effective support programs and services to Parkinson's
>disease patients and their caregivers and families; and
>
> WHEREAS, the leading public officials of the State and leading
>officials
>in the State's medical community are now called upon to aid in
>reversing
>the invisibility and voicelessness of its citizens suffering from
>Parkinson's disease; now, therefore, be it
>
> RESOLVED:  That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Eighteenth
>Legislature, now assembled in the Second Regular Session, recognize
>the
>month of April as Parkinson's Disease Awareness Month throughout the
>
>State of Maine; and be it further
>
> RESOLVED:  That a suitable copy of this resolution, duly
>authenticated
>by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to the American Parkinson
>Disease Association, Maine State Chapter.
>