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]
STATE OF KANSAS
PROCLAMATION
By The
GOVERNOR
TO THE PEOPLE OF KANSAS, GREETINGS:
WHEREAS, The health of the people are one true measure of the State; and
WHEREAS, Parkinson's Disease is a brain 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 States
diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, of which an estimated 14,000 or more are
in the State of Kansas; and
WHEREAS, The symptoms of Parkinson's Disease - stillness, 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 cause in many cases
disabling side effects; and
WHEREAS, surgical procedures likewise offer only temporary lessening of
certain symptoms and are not a substitute for drugs; and
*ADDED "prevention(s) or cure(s)
WHEREAS, the cause(s), prevention(s) or cure(s) of Parkinson’s Disease
are still not known ; and
*ADDED NEXT TWO CLAUSES
*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;
*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;
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
CUT: two lines which followed
WHEREAS, April 11 has been proclaimed to be World Parkinson's Day;
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
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------>>
