From the Editor

            April is ParkinsonŐs Awareness Month.  How many times have I written that statement?  How many times have you read it?  What can we do to focus public attention on PD for people who have never been exposed to it or only on a surface level?  After all, people see us at our very best.  When we go out, it is because at that time on that day, we have enough energy to both get dressed AND to go out.  There are so many days we can do one or the other, but canŐt do both. 

            If you saw the TV movie, Saving Milly, on Sunday night, March 9, you know that it did a beautiful job of giving the public an inside look at ParkinsonŐs problems and the awful struggle of living with ParkinsonŐs disease on a daily basis. The movie, Saving Milly, a story of love, politics and ParkinsonŐs disease is a TV adaptation of Morton KondrakeŐs book about his wife, Milly Kondrake. The movie is very well done and sticks pretty closely to the storyline of the book.  The actress who plays Milly does it so well, you would swear she is suffering from PD. 

            I decided to take on the task of reminding anybody that I thought would be interested in the movie and that I had an email address for.  I sent out a message to anybody and everybody in my address book with a PD connection or anyone I thought might want to watch it.  It proved to be a good idea.  I had emails back from a number of people I hadnŐt heard from in a long time.

            Pat, on the other hand, took his message to church the previous Sunday.  The congregation of our church has been very concerned for Pat and me during this long ordeal, and have been a huge help with their prayers and cards and good wishes.  Pat explained a bit about the movie during the part of the service set aside for announcements and suggested people watch it.  That proved to be another good idea.  The next day we had a call from one of the parishioners who had watched it and was so moved he wanted to send a donation to our support group.  (Support groups.  ThereŐs another great source of strength.)  The following Sunday Pat was in church alone again.  Both of those days had been the kind where you canŐt get ready AND go, so I was at home.  Pat was so elated and so

surprised when person after person told him he or she had seen the movie and was so moved by it.  Then during the service when it was time to share joys and concerns, one of the choir members got up and thanked Pat for announcing the movie the past Sunday.  He was so moved by the film that he felt he had to recognize Pat and me for the work we do for ParkinsonŐs.  Then the congregation broke into applause. 

            Pat came home from church bursting to tell me about all of this support and conveyed it to me with a crack in his voice and a tear in his eye.  People are so good.

            So what are we doing for ParkinsonŐs Awareness month?  Our meeting on the 19th will be a special one.  Come and listen to John Miullo talk abut the high tech ideas utilized in BobŐs room at the Presbyterian Home and how many of them could be adapted to our own homes, perhaps allowing a ParkinsonŐs patient to remain at home rather than go into an assisted living situation.

            We are also holding a Brunch Bunch at the Franklin Hotel in Rome on the 16th. (See details p.10)  In connection with the Brunch we will have a 50/50 raffle as we did last year at the Trackside Tavern.  As it happens to be the same day, just as last year, as the Unity Walk in New York CityŐs Central Park. we will again hold a 50/50 raffle in which half of the money will go to the winner and the other half to the Unity Walk. 

            Elizabeth Brewer, one of the original organizers of CNYPSG, will be there walking with one of her daughters.   If you care to support the Walk from which 100% of the money donated goes to research, call Elizabeth and make a pledge or participate in the 50/50.

                        mfm

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