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Dennis Greene wrote: > > Hi Ivan, > > We PWP have indeed much to be angry about. Our lives and > those of our families have been distorted, our plans and hopes > for the future have been left in ruins. Our bodies have become > prisons (some might say 'torture chambers') and our best hopes > for release take years to become available and then often fall > far short of the promise they had seemed to hold. We would > need to be saints not to be angry at least some of the time. > > I think you are right to call for us to channel that anger and use > it to push for greater awareness of our situation. I have my doubts > however that columns of parkies 'shuffling' on Washington, Paris, > London and Canberra (Sydney is our biggest city, not our biggest > headache) is really the answer. For one thing it would take forever. > But jokes aside, the age of the majority of our co-sufferers would > preclude them from that type of activity, though I am sure the spirits > would be willing. "Balls of String" and "Tulips" may not carry the > same impact as chaining ourselves to the railings, but they are positive > actions from positive people and are all grist to the mill. It may be > that, driven by our anger, we as a community will rise to more aggressive > action, and there is little doubt that strong action now could achieve > results which can shape the future, but we must be prepared for the > reality that no matter how angry we get, we who already have PD, > will still have it when we calm down. > > Ivan, I share your frustration at the realities we face. I don't want > to be part of the last generation of PWP before the cure is found, > I want to be part of the first generation cured. But the truth is that > however first said "hope for the best, but prepare for the worst" > had a very firm grip on life. What I really want is to be a survivor, > along with my 'comrades in arms'. > > Lets get angry, lets get motivated, lets get going, BUT lets not set > ourselves up for a fall. > > "Once more unto the breach again, dear friends, once more" > > See you all on the other side. > > Dennis. > > ++++++++++++++++++++ > Dennis Greene 47/10 > [log in to unmask] > ++++++++++++++++++++ Dear Dennis, Well put and thank you so much for understanding how I feel. My husband and I were on a committee that helped get both the Mayor and the County Excutive to declare our city of Rochester New York 'April Parkinson's Awareness month, but after alot of work we could't get ANY MEDIA COVERGE.We even were on a committee to get Governor Patiki to declare New York State 'April,Parkinson's Awareness month, again the press had 'lot of other causes to write about'. Then we were on a committee to get our congressperson Louise Slaugher to co-sponser the Udall Bill early on. Next we were on the committee to get Senator D'Amato to co-sponser the Udall bill, no easy job! We, like all of you feel frustrated by the lack of aknowledgement we are getting for Parkinson's Disease. That is why I came up with the idea of the 'Ball of String". So no matter how disabled, or frustrated one gets this gives everyone a way to feel that they can help and make a difference. Instead of the destructive attitude of Walter Huegel, I though this would be CONSTRUCTIVE. As Barbara Blake-Krebs quoted in her press release to some Kansas papers, regarding the Ball, its one way of shouting I'm fed up and I'm not going to take it any more. SO DENNIS WHERE IS YOU FOOT OF STRING AND EVERYONE ELSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you again for your posting. Donna Testa cg to John(48/2) who I love with all my heart.