 |
 |
INDIANA: Parkinson's Group Puts On Luncheon Michael J. Fox Foundation stands to gain. BY MELINDA MOORE Your Community Coordinator Tuesday, April 13 , 2004 Sometimes a change of pace is all that's needed. With that in mind, members of the Hammond Parkinson's Disease Support Group decided to host a fund-raising luncheon and dance instead of a bowling benefit as in years past. The event is set for 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. April 25 at the Radisson Hotel in Merrillville. Tickets cost $20. A Touch of Class will play dance music, and a cash bar will be available after the chicken lunch. Door prizes will be given away, and a raffle is planned with prizes that include a print valued at $215 from Deck the Walls in Merrillville, an overnight stay at the Radisson, five-piece luggage set and computer software. Raffle tickets are three for $5. "We wanted to try something new," said Ramona Mitchell, a facilitator for the group with her husband, Kerry. The group considered doing a dinner but decided a luncheon might work bestwith people's schedules. The group hopes to sell 200 tickets. All money raised will go to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Disease Research. Mitchell said that charity was chosen because they like actor Michael Fox (who has the disease) and because of the foundation's efficiency. "The foundation is a fast-track initiative where they put all the money into research," she said. "There's no red tape. They don't depend on government funds. The researchers have to apply for a grant from the foundation. Rush-Presbyterian (in Chicago) has gotten a grant a few times, and that's right nearby." The Mitchells became involved in the support group after Ramona, 45, was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1998. "When I was diagnosed, I thought I was too young," she said. "The doctor told me he had a patient who was 25." Although a support group met at The Methodist Hospital in Merrillville, it wasn't convenient for Ramona, a Hammond resident who worked full time. "It was Thursday evenings, and that was too far for me to go to work, so I stopped going," she said. "There was nothing nearby, so Kerry and I decided we'd start our own." The group meets from 2 to 4 p.m. the first Saturday each month at St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers, 5454 Hohman Ave., Hammond. Mitchell urged people to attend the fund-raiser. "Parkinson's is not just an elderly (person's) disease. It affects people from their 20s on up. This research the foundation is doing will not only help Parkinson's, but Alzheimer's, spinal cord injuries" and others. She added that because researchers know what the "mechanisms" for the disease are, they have great hope. "Since they know the dynamics of it, they think it's the easiest to cure, if they only had the funding." SOURCE: Munster Times, IN http://tinyurl.com/ytlbb * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn