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-- [ From: Bob Martone * EMC.Ver #2.5.3 ] -- Letter being hand carried Monday! June 15, 1998 Subject: Udall Parkinson Research Bill and Beyond The Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator Hutchison, Your fellow Texans and the country need your support to fully fund the Morris K. Udall Act for Research and Education to the authorized level of $100 million a year. The Appropriations Committee this year will consider the law, which you supported ,last year, as part of the Labor HHS appropriations bill. We urge you to stand behind this bill again and encourage your colleagues on the Appropriations Committee to do the same .. Parkinson's is a catastrophic neuro-degenerative disease, which affects more than a million people in the United States. Abraham Lieberman, M. D., of the National Parkinson's Foundation, estimates that there may be twice that number counting those who have not yet been diagnosed. It is an insidious disease from which no one is safe because we do not yet know enough scientifically to predict who will get it and who will not. There is hope through research. Parkinson's has been termed "one of the brightest spots in brain research" by the Dana Alliance on Brain Initiatives. Please do your part to see that we do not have to continue to expend $25 Billion a year in terms of direct and indirect costs when for $100 Million we could be working on finding effective therapies and perhaps the long sought for cure. Within the next three decades, the number of Parkinson's Disease patients could grow to as many as ten million as the "Baby Boomers" move into the years most often associated with Parkinson's and other neuro- degenerative diseases. With an average age of diagnosis of 57 years, this demographic surge is not far away. We cannot expect our children to bear this burden. We must do something proactive now before it is too late! We need a strong America comprised of healthy citizens. Your leadership is needed to insure that the $100 million Udall Parkinson authorization is fully funded. Please take the lead do it for your fellow Texans and the country. Please let us hear of your plans and how the Parkinson community that I represent can help get this appropriation completed this year. I will be in Washington June 15-18 and would like to visit with you to discuss this matter. I have petitions signed by 5000+ fellow Texans and friends that I would like to present to you. Sincerely, Robert A. Martone - President 3614 Forest Village Dr. Kingwood, Texas 77339 Phone 281-358-5168 Attachment - Signatures from 5000+ Texans -- Bob Martone(Nancy 53/23)