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I ran across this press release about a referral center being set up in Virginia that has ties to Emory University. The person who has the dad in Raleigh NC might be interested in this. John Cottingham [log in to unmask] > 94-11-18: PARKINSON'S DISEASE INFO. CENTER SET UP > > An Information and Referral Center for Parkinson's patients > and their families will be established at the Department of > Neurology with the support of a $500,000 grant from the > American Parkinson's Disease Association (APDA). U.Va. was > chosen by APDA as one of six U.S. Centers for Advanced > Research in Parkinson's Disease based on its long history of > outstanding treatment and research of the disease, said Mario > Esposito, president of the association. > > After Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's is the most prevalent > neurodegenerative disease in this country. More than a million > Americans have Parkinson's, with an additional 40,000 new > cases diagnosed each year. In Virginia, an estimated 13,690 > people aged 65 and older have it. > > The Information Center will refer patients to Parkinson's > specialists in the state, as well as provide details on support > groups and other services available. A 24-hour phone system > has already been set up to take patient calls at 982-4482, > according to Dr. Fred Wooten, medical director of the > Parkinson's center and chair of the neurology department. > > A data base of Parkinson's patients will be developed to > facilitate clinical drug studies and to track the family > incidence of Parkinson's disease. "This grant will allow us to > compile an up-to-date list of Virginians who have Parkinson's > disease," Dr. Wooten said. "With that kind of information at our > finger tips, we can contact patients when new treatments are > available and gather epidemiological information crucial to our > research." > > In addition to U.Va., APDA has established Centers for > Advanced Research in Parkinson's Disease at Emory University, > the New Jersey School of Medicine and Dentistry, the > University of Kansas, the University of Oregon and Boston > .