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Mary, This is powewrful. Hope you get a real response! Regards, Bob Martone -----Original Message----- From: Parkinson's Information Exchange [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of William Heitman Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 1999 10:31 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Action on Udall Bill--feel free to change and use this (Mary's letter) August 28, 1999 Senator Kay Bailey-Hutchison United States Senate Washington, DC 50510 Dear Senator Bailey-Hutchison, As you may recall, my husband is a Person with Parkinson's disease (PWP). Last June 30, I sought your help based on future constituency. We plan a move to Lubbock soon. We were greatly encouraged by the expert briefings we had last June. Before too long, this disease will be a thing of the past. Our researchers say that it is possible within two to five years. A major obstacle to finding the cure is funding the research. This is where we need your help. The nice thing is that by passing legislation (as you have done -the Udall Act in 1997) and funding its provisions (which has yet to be completely done), you speed the day when a great deal of money will be saved. As much as 68.5 million dollars a day (25 billion dollars a year) goes down the drain while PD remains unchecked. Thanks for the free pills, but we would rather have the cure: I am enclosing a picture of my husband sitting among a bunch of prescription bottles. He has consumed all of these pills and more since we started asking for congressional help with Parkinson's research funding. He takes 19 powerful, expensive pills a day. That's 6,935 a year. However, we are luckier than most PWP families. As a retired, disabled veteran he is eligible for "free" prescription refills on many of his drugs at the Scott AFB pharmacy. We only pay about $3000 a year on medicines now. While this doesn't totally solve our financial problems, the savings this represents is a big help. We PWP families do not like to always be asking you for funding, but just now, it seems the right thing to do. Mostly, we want the full $100,000,000 promised by the Udall Act. With this money, our researchers can proceed with all deliberate speed. The theme of our next Congressional forum will be some variant of "We gotta stop meeting this way". Perhaps the one after that can be a call to celebration. Please do not forget us when you return to work this Fall. Time is money. Time is also the stuff of life. Please help us save both PWP lives and the government's money. Best regards, Mary F. Heitman, caregiver and wife of William H. Heitman, MD (Ret.)