Dear Ivan, The following fax was sent today. Congratulations...Joe and I hope it helps. Keep up the good work. Dear Mr. Ciganek, Ivan Suzman, who has Parkinson’s disease was interviewed Tuesday for WPXT-TV. He has an important story to tell and many of us feel it deserves as wide an audience as possible and should be broadcast nationwide. When I was 44 years old I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological disorder that destroys the brain cells controlling motor function. The available treatment only partially alleviates the resulting stiffness, tremor and slowness of movement that can eventually leave its victims unable to walk, to talk, even to move. I have worked with Ivan as an advocate for the Morris K. Udall Parkinson’s Research Act that was signed into law last November authorizing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund up to $100 million in “research focused on Parkinson’s disease.” As of this date, the Act has not been properly funded. The estimated cost of Medicare, disability, etc. to our country is $25 BILLION dollars a year, which comes down to $63 million a DAY. The Udall act could be funded in less than two days! Experts continue to tell us that they could find a cure if they had the funds necessary for research. Having PD is comparable to having polio. You’re a prisoner in your own body. We found the cure for polio. Iron lungs are a thing of the past and PD could be as well. This country would find the money for people that just suffered through a hurricane or other natural disaster but doesn't consider it a disaster that every nine minutes another person is diagnosed with this horribly debilitating disease.There couldn't be a more compassionate, more compelling, more economical way to spend our tax dollars! Ivan has a lot to share and I’m sure your viewers around the country will appreciate having seen it. Thank you, Nina Brown