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hi all barb, here is a 'neatened and lightly edited' version of your sample proclamation; i think it's a keeper! so much so, that it will be posted in my website in the 'pre-mined gold' from the PIEnet archives section for quick and easy 24/7/52 access PD AWARENESS AND EDUCATION 'R' US janet At 07:26 AM 2000/01/29 -0500, Barb B-K wrote: >Empowering ourselves through being patient-advocates > >Dear listmembers especially "newbies", > >I want to share with you the draft of a proposed proclamation that I >will be faxing to our Governor's office next week. This is the fourth >or fifth year I have done this on behalf of Kansans PWPs. When I signed >on the list in 1996, I began to learn ways to be a patient-advocate from >folks like Jim Cordy and Ivan Suzman -- just to name two. Hope this draft >proclamation will help somebody. And, oh yes, if anyone has a suggestion, >please let me know! > >Best regards, > >Barbara Blake-Krebs >[log in to unmask] <<-------------begin sample of proposed proclamation-------------- STATE OF KANSAS PROCLAMATION By The GOVERNOR TO THE PEOPLE OF KANSAS, GREETINGS: WHEREAS, The health of the people is one true measure of the State; and WHEREAS, Parkinson's Disease is a movement disorder that affects adults of all ages with the average age of onset being 57, although it can appear in children; and WHEREAS, More individuals suffer from Parkinson's Disease than multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrig's Disease combined; and WHEREAS, According to the American Parkinson's Disease Association, the National Parkinson Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health(NIH), there are up to approximately 1.5 million people or more in the United State diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, of whom an estimated 14,000 or more are in the State of Kansas; and WHEREAS, The symptoms of Parkinson's Disease - tremor, rigidity, slowness, poor movement, and difficulty with balance and speaking - are often mistaken for other conditions, especially in the younger adult or as a normal part of the aging process; and WHEREAS, antiparkinsonian drugs can only control some of the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease for a short period of time, and in many cases cause disabling side effects; and WHEREAS, surgical procedures likewise offer only temporary lessening of certain symptoms and are not a substitute for drugs; and WHEREAS, the cause(s), prevention(s) or cure(s) of Parkinson's Disease are still not known; and WHEREAS, more needed research is expected nationwide over the next five years as a result of an unprecidented collaboration by members of all sectors of the Parkinson community and various NIH institutes especially the National Institute of Neurological Diorders and Stroke (NINDS), resulting in agenda that will most likely lead to better treatments and eventually a cure; and WHEREAS, many scientists believe that breakthroughs in Parkinson's research are more likely to come first in this class of diseases but will lead to insights about other classic neurodegenerative diseases, e.g. Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and ALS; and WHEREAS, The Neurological Department of the University of Kansas Medical Center is one major U.S. center conducting ongoing research to improve treatments and to discover a cure; and WHEREAS, April *? is the 16th annual symposium held in the Greater Kansas City area to educate Kansans and others by the Parkinson Association of Greater Kansas City and the National Parkinson Foundation; and WHEREAS, There are at least 16 Parkinson Disease Support Groups throughout the State of Kansas; and WHEREAS, April 11 has been proclaimed to be World Parkinson's Day; 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, their caregivers and families, NOW, THEREFORE, I, BILL GRAVES, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF KANSAS, do hereby proclaim April, 2000 as P A R K I N S O N ' S D I S E A S E A W A R E N E S S M O N T H throughout the State of Kansas, and urge all citizens to extend their support for those struggling with Parkinson's Disease and the loved ones trying to help fight the battle. DONE At the Capitol in Topeka under the Great Seal of the State this ___ day of _____, A.D., 2000 BY THE GOVERNOR_____________________________ ______________________________ Secretary of State ______________________________ Assistant Secretary of State ---------------end sample of proposed proclamation---------------------->> janet paterson 52 now / 41 dx / 37 onset a new voice: http://www.geocities.com/janet313/ 613 256 8340 PO Box 171 Almonte Ontario Canada K0A 1A0