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I am curious...Why are all your messages High Priority? M ----- Original Message ----- From: "Emily and Julian Brinac" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, May 23, 2002 7:51 AM Subject: Re: Fox wins rare U.S. senate applause for public struggle with Parkinson's > Murray, > Thank you for sharing this incredible article with us. > Emily > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Murray Charters" <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Thursday, May 23, 2002 8:28 AM > Subject: Fox wins rare U.S. senate applause for public struggle with > Parkinson's > > > > May 22nd. 2002 > > Fox wins rare U.S. senate applause for public struggle with > Parkinson's > > > > WASHINGTON (CP) -- The shoulders constantly rocked and rolled, > > an elbow would occasionally dart out involuntarily and his speech > > slurred as Michael J. Fox struggled to control the symptoms > > of Parkinson's during congressional testimony. > > > > On this day, he surrendered to the disease, interrupted his prepared > > remarks and ended his address earlier than he had hoped. > > > > "I'll shorten my comments," the Edmonton-born actor-activist told > > senators riveted Wednesday by so public a battle with the debilitating > > illness. > > > > Then the sound of applause -- usually forbidden by the archaic rules > > of Senate committee hearings -- began rolling through the large > > committee room. The sustained wave worked its way around the room > > washed over Fox as he finally was able to sit back in his chair and > > regain a measure of his physical equanimity. > > > > Only then did Fox attempt to take a sip of the glass of water in front > > of him. > > > > "This is an unusual hearing where there's applause," said Senator > > Arlen Specter, the Pennsylvania Republican. > > > > "There's a lot of love in this room." > > > > The affection was shared by Fox and Muhammad Ali, the former > > heavyweight champ also afflicted with a form of Parkinson's disease. > > > > Celebrities often turn up on Capitol Hill to shill for research > dollars. > > Their glamour and star-power draw attention and pressure on > > legislators who control the billions of dollars in scientific funds > > available in the United States. > > > > Almost none of these celebrities would risk dimming their star- > wattage > > by daring to turn up for their congressional call with a hair out of > place > > or a blemish uncovered by artfully applied make-up. > > > > But the senators on the Labour, Health and Human Services and > > Education Subcommittee got an eye-full of celebrity frailty during > > their hearing on Parkinson's disease. > > > > Ali allowed his wife to deliver his remarks. The world's greatest > boxer > > sat before the senators trembling, with his eyes closed. Lonnie Ali > > patiently explained that the disease had not only robbed her husband > > of his extraordinary physical gifts and his prodigious confidence, > > but had also made him light-sensitive. > > > > Parkinson's Disease is a degenerative neurological condition that > > robs sufferers of control of their limbs and extremities while leaving > > their mental capacities intact. > > > > Some of those afflicted, such as Pope John Paul, might experience > > a slight trembling of the hand. Others can barely control all of their > > motor skills. Still others suffer from slurred speech. > > > > Most Parkinson's patients are closer to 60 or 70. But about > > 10 per cent of sufferers are under 40, a proportion of whom have > > histories of drug abuse or exposure to toxic metals. Some, such as > > Fox, are just plain unlucky. > > > > Fox, who grew up in Vancouver, had to leave his hit television series > > Spin City due to the disease. > > > > Fox began by flashing some of the sass of Alex P. Keaton, the > > kid- conservative he played for years on the television program > > Family Ties. > > > > "Is it just me or were you sitting in different seats the last time > > I was here?" he asked, tweaking the Democrats who won control > > of the Senate after a Republican defection last year. > > > > "It's back to the future," shot back Tom Harkin, the Iowa Democrat > > who regained the chairmanship of the sub-committee. > > > > The pint-sized star has used humour relentlessly to put people > > at ease about his uncontrollable fidgeting ever since he went > > public four years ago about his battle with the brain disease. > > > > "Having Parkinson's at an auction can be an expensive proposition," > > he wrote in Lucky Man, his memoir that is now enjoying a ride atop > > best-seller lists. > > > > Not even humour could mask the fact that Fox's condition has not > > improved since he last appeared before a congressional committee > > last year. > > > > Sinemet, the medication prescribed to keep his shaking under > > control, limits his involuntary movements somewhat, but only for > > maddeningly brief periods of time. > > > > As it stands, Parkinson's sufferers like him have little choice > > beyond listening to a physician tell him how quickly the disease > > is robbing him of his life while taking medication to control some > > of the symptoms, Fox said. > > > > "It's not a great proposition," he said. > > > > "But the time has come where the brain is no longer just a place > > for research, but a place for cures." > > > > Controversial stem-cell research holds out some hope for brain > > regeneration. Future research may be limited by political battles > > because stem cell lines come from aborted fetuses. > > > > "Seeing the possibilities only increases our frustration and > > impatience over what is not getting done," Fox said. > > > > "We're going to get this done." > > > > SOURCE: Canoe / Canada Newswire > > http://www.canoe.ca/WorldTicker/CANOE-wire.Parkinsons-Fox.html > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn