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Terrie Whitling wrote: > > I wrote the following piece soon after hearing of the death of a very dear > friend of mine, Steve Mulligan. Many of you knew him personally, others knew > of him through his website - The Mulligan Foundation. Most of you may not > have known Steve, but you have friends much like Steve. I share this with > you, who understand my grief, my anger and my frustration. I share this with > you because Steve is the first one of my friends with PD to die!! I share > this with you, also, to challenge you to do more. > > Dear Steve, > > You left us so suddenly July 30th. It takes my breath away to think about > you being gone. I keep thinking that it can't be true. Surely this is > someone's idea of a bad joke. You were too young - only 49!! It seems like > yesterday when we last talked - me giving you my cheerleader "rah rah", and > you making me laugh with that slow, dry wit of yours. Until now, I would > become indignant when I'd hear someone speak of another's cause of death as > being "from" Parkinson's Disease. My curt reply was always, "We don't DIE > from Parkinson's Disease. We just, sometimes, wish we would." Now I am > indignant because your death forces me to face the reality that PD DOES KILL > US. For some of us, it's an emotional death, others a spiritual death. And > for you, my dear friend, the ultimate, physical death. > > I am angry at PD for defeating you in your battle to survive. You, who were > so gifted, so unique, so ALIVE - you had much work yet to do. WE had much > work yet to accomplish together - The Mulligan Foundation, support groups, > so many ideas! Your death shouldn't have occurred now. Yes, I am grateful > for the time your Pallidotomy afforded you, but it wasn't enough, was it? The > recent breakthroughs in medications and newer surgical technques didn't come > in time for you. Why is it that the condition of our existence boils down to > money? I hate that! I know that if our research had been adequately funded, > you wouldn't have suffered as you did. Perhaps, you wouldn't be gone from my > life. > > The research at Emory, albeit one of the finest and most prestigious, has > seriously inadequate funding for the work that is needed to help those of us > you left behind. Right now, the very program that gave you and me HOPE, > bought us precious time with our Pallidotomies and offers hope to thousands > of others, is in grave need of money. For two years now, I have closed my > ears to the constant pleas to raise money for Emory's Parkinson's Research. > From a Social Worker/Cheerleader point of view, I couldn't justify using my > talents and skills in that way. Two things have occurred to change my > attitude. > > Having worked for well over 3 years to get the Udall Bill passed, I now > understand how slow and seemingly, inadequate the political process can be. > Even if the Udall Bill were passed today (and I pray that it will be), it > wouldn't solve the financial problems existing in Parkinson's research. IT > WOULDN'T SAVE YOUR LIFE. It is only a step, a very important step, toward > adequate funding - towards saving the lives of our friends. The major > breakthroughs (dare I hope for a cure in my lifetime?) won't be possible > without money from the private sector. > > The financial issure becomes much more personal when, because of the > disparity, some one I love dies. Your death now provides for me the > understanding, committment, determination and passion to raise money for > Emory' s Parkinson's reseach program - hopefuly to prevent our friends with > Parkinson's from suffering as you did. > Steve, your life added value to the lives and filled the hearts of many! > Your death, too, adds equal, if not more, value. I promised you better days > ahead, didn't I? Selfishly, I wanted those "better days" to be spent here > on earth. I wanted to share them with you. I know, though,that where you > are now, you ARE enjoying those "better days." > > In your memory, I reaffirm my vow to do all that is within me to continue > offering hope of better days ahead for all of our friends who continue the > PD battle. I also vow to do all that I can to assure that the money is > available to make that hope a reality so others won't have to suffer us you > did....it assure us all that your suffering had purpose. Your proud, fighting > spiirit lives on in me and in all of your family and friends - all who were > privileged to share a part of your unique life. Thank you Steve, for showing > me how to live in dignity with PD! Missing you, > Terrie > > For those of you who would like to express your sympathies to Kathy, Steve's > wife.The address is: Kathy Mulligan > 10663 Nine Mile Road > Whitmore Lake, Michigan 48189 > > At the family's request, all memorials in Steve's name are to be sent to: > > Emory University > Department of Neurology > WMB - 6000, P,O, Drawer V > Atlanta, Georgia 30322 > > checks made out to : Emory Pallidotomy Research FundTerrie, this might be appropriate for newsletter. Let's talk. Lynda