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Dear list, Prompted by a letter to the editor of the Portland Newspapers by Karen Bardo, I decided it was also time to keep the pressure up on our congressional delegation and public by writing to them as well. Although I did not expect our articles sent late in the week to be published this week, I did look in the editorial section first thing this morning to see what was published. What I discovered instead was an article written by Eleanor Goldberg, Executive Director of the Alzheimer's Association, Maine chapter. In the article she thanked the Maine delegation for supporting the National Alzheimer's Association's call for an additional $100 million in funding to a total of $440 million. I simply ask are we doing or asking enough? This will bring their funding level to approximately four times as much money as we have received in the past ten years. This is not imply that Parkinson's Disease is more important or has more urgency to expedite a cure. This is just the question that immediately came to mind as I was reading the article this morning. Honestly, my jaw dropped as if all the dopamine had returned to my Parkinsonian damaged brain. I know it was probably more reflex and not thoughtful thinking, but it makes for a better story. After regaining consciousness, my resolve lacked an intensity that would have made up for the fact that my medication hadn't kicked in yet. I looked at myself in the mirror and suddenly there was not a reflection. I felt invisible again. My voice raspy and hollow would not speak the words my mind was telling it to say. As I festinated (pd word meaning shuffled) towards the shower to try to wash the invisibility away, I could tell that I was still a person only through the numbness I felt. I'm 37 by felt like 107. And in those 70 years that were suddenly added to my life the average appropriation for PD was unimportant. Societies lack of comprehension, compassion and awareness were all important. One simple question clouded my mind. How can we become visible inside the social consciousness of our citizenry? Then L-dopa returned my resolve and reflection along with my hope that the answer is ongoing. Hope, that we can make a difference. Hope, the I'm not naive in thinking that if we stay the course (sorry George) the inflection in our voices will indeed be strong enough to put us in the public view. Because in repetition and reinforcement of the hard facts that we deal with daily we will strike an empathetic cord that will finally make us visible again. So push, push, push! Never give up! Remain aware to heighten awareness! The truth is we are the only ones who will make a difference. Everyone that has the ability to communicate our cause must commit. We need one very strong, "We are mad as hell, and we are not going to take it anymore." Greg Leeman 37/7