To all,
I've been dumb struck by the painful lose of an extraordinary and
fearless leader not only for the PD community, but for our whole
country.
I'm just now able to pass on the extraordinary words of remembrance and
mourning I received by the Parkinson's Action Network and the MJF
Parkinson's Research Foundation.
I can add nothing to these words.
Charlotte Mancuso
October 25, 2002
Contact: Laura Eckart
For Immediate Release:
The Parkinson's Action Network (PAN) and the Parkinson's community mourn
the
loss of Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN), his wife Sheila and daughter
Marcia,
three members of his campaign staff Will McLaughlin, Tom Lapic, and Mary
McEvoy, and two pilots who died today in a small place crash near
Eveleth,
Minnesota.
"Our hearts are broken. This is a huge loss for the Parkinson's
community.
Senator Wellstone was our fiercest champion. Every time he spoke, he
raised
our spirits and strengthened our hope," said Joan Samuelson, PAN
President.
A cure and better health care for Parkinson's disease was of particular
interest for Senator Wellstone, as both of his parents suffered from the
disease. Senator Wellstone led the fight on many legislative battles
that
were important to Parkinson's disease such as stem cell research and
access
to health care.
Most notably, Senator Wellstone served as the lead Democratic co-sponsor
of
groundbreaking Parkinson's research legislation, the Morris K Udall Act
of
1997. This legislation was the first ever to focus entirely on the need
to
expand the Parkinson's research program administered by the NIH and
called
for at least $100 million in Parkinson's-focused research.
"Both Senator Wellstone and his wife Sheila were dear friends of the
Parkinson's community. Words cannot describe how saddened we are by this
loss. His spirit, wit and strength of character will be remembered. We
will be indebted forever to Senator Wellstone for all of his work on
behalf
of the entire health care community. We send our deepest condolences to
his
entire family and staff and the families of the other victims of this
terrible tragedy" said Samuelson.
Laura Jane Cohen
Outreach Coordinator
Parkinson's Action Network
300 North Lee Street, Suite 500
Alexandria, VA 22314
p: 703-518-8877
800-850-4726
f: 703-518-0673
website: www.parkinsonsaction.org
------------
from MJF Foundation
Friends,
Our nation has suffered a devastating loss today... one I fear is much
larger
than most of us realize. I believe we have lost an important part of our
national conscience... a (all too often) lone voice calling us to higher
points on our moral compass. And the loss is profound. It's one thing
to
choose to ignore the little voice in your head, but it's quite another
when
the voice is gone...
I lucky few of us have lost a dear friend -- a true comrade -- and a
hero.
But whether or not they know it now, everyone has lost a vital,
tenacious,
fist-pounding, vein-popping reminder to strive for the better angels in
our
nature.
Maybe together we can try to fill this sudden void.
Rest in peace.
Michael Claeys
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