ListServ Friends --
This is a follow-up and update to Melinda Brown's helpful advance posting on
the forthcoming article on Parkinson's disease in Parade (at 30 million-plus,
one of the largest-circulation mags in America). It's to appear this Sunday,
November 1.
The two-page article ("Yes, I'm Still Enjoying Life!") is by (and about) Earl
Ubell, the former health editor of Parade and for many years a very
distinguished television journalist on medical and science issues. (He is
also a valued member of the board of directors of the Parkinson's Disease
Foundation, which I serve as executive director, and co-chairs the Parkinson's
Unity Walk, which benefits NPF, APDA, PAN and PI as well as PDF).
Earl has been living with PD for almost a decade and brings to his experience
the quizzical eye of the journalist as well as the authenticity of the
patient. The article is a Parade-style snapshot overview of what PD is,
what's new among treatments and what's going on in the basic science of the
disease.
His physician (Dr. Lucien Cote) is at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in
New York and the medical experts quoted are mostly from around here (in
addition to Dr. Cote himself, Dr. Stanley Fahn, the chief of the movement
disorders program at Columbia and Dr. David Eidelberg, of North Shore Hospital
in Manhasset, Long Island). Also quoted are Dr. Alim-Louis Benabid (the
pioneer of deep-brain stimulation as a surgical approach to relieving
Parkinson's) and scientists at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in
New Brunswick, NJ. And NPF gets a great tagline "for more information...."
In terms of "PR for the cause," the piece comes across offering hope and
confidence that Parkinson's science and therapy are on the move. Check it out
on Sunday. (And if you want to jot Earl a note--you can send it to me, or
via Parade--I am sure he'd appreciate it!)
(P.S. Listserv colleagues whose local paper doesn't carry Parade can e-mail me
at my address ([log in to unmask]) and I will be happy to fax or mail you a copy
of the article).
Robin Elliott, Executive Director, Parkinson's Disease Foundation.
