VERY good news that such a fact-filled PD-related message got
published, Linda!

You go, Girl!

Barb Mallut
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-----Original Message-----
From: Linda J Herman <[log in to unmask]>
To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN
<[log in to unmask]>
Date: Sunday, December 13, 1998 6:14 AM
Subject: Letter-to-the-Editor


>        I had a nice surprise this morning - my letter to the
Buffalo News was
>published in "Everybody's Column." It was placed at the top of the
page,
>under a large photo of Michael J. Fox, and the headline - "PROVIDE
>FUNDING FOR PARKINSON'S RESEARCH" - sure to get people's attention.
>Unfortunately, although there was only a little editing, the one
sentence
>they did change was my wording "Over 1 million Americans have been
>diagnosed with Parkinson's…"  to "of the 1 million Americans …"
>        But, this is the first time the Buffalo News has included
anything about
>Parkinson's research funding, so I am very happy about it. I also
sent
>additional information to the Health Editor, and suggested a report
on
>the funding issues, but haven't heard anything yet. This is my
letter, as
>published:
>
>PROVIDE FUNDING FOR PARKINSON'S RESEARCH
>
>At the age of 45, I too learned that Parkinson's Disease does not
strike
>only the elderly. Of the 1 million Americans  diagnosed with
Parkinson's,
>an estimated 15% are under the age of 50. Most people were unaware
of
>this until Michael J. Fox's courageous announcement.
>Although advances have been made in the treatment of the symptoms,
there
>is no cure, and the disease progresses relentlessly. Like Fox, many
>people with Parkinson's try to remain optimistic.
>However the questions - how much longer do I have to live a normal
life,
>to work, to be able to care for my family, to be able to care for
myself
>- are always lurking in your thoughts.
>On the Parkinson's Information Exchange, an international e-mail
>discussion and support group, we hear from many young onset patients
who
>have become too disabled to continue working. The newly diagnosed
know
>that without a cure, it is only a matter of time before they will be
>disabled too.
>For years, inadequate funding for Parkinson's research has impeded
>progress towards a cure. Recognizing the disparity in federal
funding for
>PD, Congress passed the Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Disease Research
Act
>in 1997, authorizing $100 million for research.
>However for the second year, Congress has failed to appropriate
funding
>for the Udall Act.  In addition, there have been efforts recently to
>limit or ban stem cell research, which scientists say shows great
promise
>for curing this disease, as well as many others.
>If we are to conquer Parkinson's Disease so that all of its victims
can
>look forward to productive, independent lives, it is crucial that
all
>avenues of medical research be fully supported.
>
>Linda Herman
>