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How right you are, Emily! Copies of this news release need to be sent to every Senator and Representative. Mailing addresses are: The Honorable _________ United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 and The Honorable _________ United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 This is a great opportunity--- we could not have planned it better! Let's get a mass action on the way before Congress adjourns for the holiday. If you do not know your Congressmen's name, or you cannot write, call the toll free number, 800-962-3524, give your zip code and ask to be connected. Our message needs to be that, "The results announced today highlight the importance-and benefit-of bringing new ideas into the field of Parkinson's disease research," says Dr. Zach W. Hall, Director of the NINDS. "The identity of this gene suggests an important new link between Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, and may ultimately help us prevent or delay the cell death that is responsible for degenerative brain disease." Remember that the original gene discovery was less than 6 mos. ago, but with special emphasis (money and concentrated/focused research) rapid disease gene identification was possible! As Ken Aidekman says: Fund the Research. Find the Cure. Let's light up the capitol switchboard! Margaret At 05:04 PM 6/26/97 -0400, you wrote: >A copywrited (sorry, can't copy here) story turned up Thu. June 26, 7:01PM >EDT on the Yahoo home page under "health" on the discovery of a Parkinson's >gene in a couple of small groups of genetically related persons in Italy >and Greece. It was mentioned briefly on Peter Jennings' eve. news report, >too. The study was conducted by a team of researchers from the NIH; the >Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway, New Jersey; University of >Naples, Italy; and the University of Patras Medical School in Greece. >SOURCE: Science (1997;276:2045-2047) Exciting that this development is >getting some attention in the press; it quotes a release from the NIH, a >Dr. Harold Varmus, saying "This finding could prove to be the most >significant advance in our understanding of Parkinson's disease since the >dopamine hypothesis was put forward in the mid-1960s." >How can we use this information to help spark a sense of urgency in support >of the Udall bill? We are certainly on the cusp of many exciting >developments. I am advised that my own North Texas congressman, Ralph >Hall, responds well to this sort of significance of science and research, >and I will be sure he hears of this. It seems like a great opportunity to >write or call again with new, timely information. > >Emily Jackson >[log in to unmask] > > Margaret Tuchman (55yrs, Dx 1980)- NJ-08540 [log in to unmask]