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The Daily Texan Astros' backup catcher making his mark on the world Zaun Foundation fights to find cure for Parkinson's By William Wilkerson (Daily Texan Staff) August 05, 2003 Few besides diehard Houston Astros fans know the backup catcher for the team. His name is Gregg Zaun, a switch-hitting catcher from Glendale, Calif., who in 53 games played this season has a .208 batting average with one home run and 12 RBI's. He may not be batting .300 nor has he won a Gold Glove, but his work off the field is undoubtedly MVP caliber. Gregg's mother was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease this April. This is a disease that affects the central nervous system causing even the slightest movement to seem like a climb up Mount Everest. Because of his mother's suffering he has founded the Gregg Zaun Foundation - a nonprofit organization assisting the National Parkinson's Foundation in their fight to find a cure and to better the lives of those affected by the disease. Parkinson's is a chronic disease that effects approximately 1.5 million Americans. It belongs to a group of conditions known as the Motor System Disorders. The main results of this disease are tremors, rigidity or stiffness of the limb and trunk, bradykinesia or slowness or movement and impaired balance and coordination. Though it may come at any age, it is uncommon in people under 30, with the risk of developing the disease getting stronger as you age. The foundation based out of Southlake, Texas, was founded early this year and raised$10,000 at a July 15 gala. The gala featured the auction of some highly sought-after items, most notably a pair of boxing gloves signed by Muhammad Ali, who also suffers from Parkinson's disease. Other sports memorabilia in the auction included a bat signed by Jeff Bagwell, a jersey signed by the Dallas Mavericks, three baseball gloves signed by Craig Biggio, one from each position he has played (catcher, second base and center field) and a bat that was used in a game by Jeff Blum, complete with autograph. Future events such as a Super Bowl party and a golf tournament next baseball season will also be held to benefit the National Center for Parkinson's disease. Gregg Zaun has also arranged for player appearances and signings to happen at Advantage BMW, Aug. 23 and 30 in Houston. Fans who wish to donate money to the organization can do so by becoming a member of the Gregg Zaun Fan Club, which presently has five members. Those who join this fan club become automatic members of the Gregg Zaun Foundation. Despite the fact that Zaun has already made a much needed dent in the search for a cure of this debilitating disease, he will soon be implementing the Gregg Zaun Care program. This program will be designed to help those diagnosed with Parkinson's to have a higher quality life while waiting for a cure. Zaun's mother, Cherie, is a former pro golfer and former women's golf coach at the University of Southern California. "[Cherie] is doing well. She is taking several different medications to see which one works the best. But overall, she is doing well," said Kimber Bruce, vice president of the Gregg Zaun Foundation, Monday. When asked about the progress of the foundation, Kimber Bruce replied, "Upward." Zaun may not be an All-Star catcher or even an everyday ballplayer, but his dedication to helping others has made him what most would consider a hero. Reference: The Gregg Zaun Charitable Foundation http://www.gregzaunfoundation.org/ SOURCE: The Daily Texan http://www.dailytexanonline.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/08/05/3f2f5ddd45ed3 * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn