The past 2 SkateAThons raised over $ 11,000. for the Michael J Fox Foundation, the largest single funder of Parkinson's research. This year, the proceeds will also start the PHD Program(Parkinson's Health Development) to offer holistic exercise and activities to persons with PD, at affordable rates. While research into causes and cures is important for progress in the future, this year our focus shifts to those real people in Omaha facing PD- now. Often careers have been cut short, insurance is costly or denied, medical and pharmacy bills escalate, and the financial strain looms, in an illness made worse by stress.
All we have is now- this day. Even though research shows that the course of our PD can be positively affected by specific, intense, frequent and cognitively challenging exercises - finances can be such a stress that even accessing services that could help the course of your illness (since they aren't covered by insurance) can seem out of reach. The PHD Program, run BY people with PD, FOR people with PD, can be part of the answer- bringing hope and options within reach.
The PHD Program will work with teachers in a variety of disciplines: yoga, tia chi, personal training, dance, boxing, meditation- to schedule classes at accessible sites, at optimal times for partcipants, at reduced cost. Then PHD will supplement the cost of the activity, to make it more affordable for individual with PD and family member. With our exceptionally high incidence rate of PD in Nebraska, it will make a difference. Skate along with us toward this goal.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." M Mead
The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far
ReplyDeleteReading my sister’s blog, I can’t help but be emotional. She is such a wonderful writer. Reading her updates made me miss my dad, he also could write well. Colleen being the oldest of eight siblings, she received much of what I love about my mom and dad. Dad’s brains, writing abilities, and anonymous giving; and mom’s beautiful, heart warming steadfast love and over the top generosity to everyone she meets. Its no wonder everyone who knows Colleen, loves Colleen. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Colleen has always been a “Tower of strength” in our family. She is the one most of us go to when we need advice, help, a place to stay, or a shoulder to cry on. I felt like someone slugged me in the stomach when someone told me she had Parkinson’s. NOT Colleen! I guess I feared Parkinson’s would change her, defeat her, harden her; but nothing could be further from the truth. Colleen and Ted locked arms and went after her disease with passion. They read up on the disease, went to meetings about the disease, met with many doctors and checked into experimental treatments, they talked to other people with the disease, and they talked to us about the disease. Once you light a fire under Ted and Colleen, don’t run and hide; stand close and warm yourself. The fire wont go out, it will just get bigger and brighter and more beautiful.
Ted has been supporting and loving, and willing to do anything he can to help my sister. They turned one of their spare bedrooms into a work out room with a wall of mirrors so Colleen can exercise and keep an eye on her form. He put surround sound in their home so Colleen can listen to peaceful music anytime of day or night. They learned how to massage together and bought a massage table that is always up and ready whenever needed. Ted’s attentiveness and devotion to my sister raises the bar for the rest of us. Spend a day with them as a couple and you can’t help but see, they are “One flesh.”
Knowing my sister loves to write, it was heartbreaking to see her handwriting abilities deteriorate so rapidly as a result of her disease. As my mom would say, “God love her children”, they bought her a program that types what you speak and loaded it onto her computer. “You can’t keep a good man down.” Colleen labored at learning the program, and the blog is evidence that she mastered even that.
“In everything give thanks.” PD, as devastating as it is, can be fuel for praise and worship. Fuel for praise and worship because now we can see the wisdom behind God allowing Colleen to get the disease. Who else but Colleen could accomplish so much, in so little time? Who else but Colleen to teach each one of us, “Sin is knocking at the door and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” PD didn’t harden my sister, PD didn’t cause my sister to give up and throw in the towel, PD didn’t cause my sister to become bitter and unbearable to be around. No. The moment my sister received her PD diagnosis it was as if she was sitting in the stands at Aksarben and hearing the announcer say just before the horses left their shoots, “And we’re off!”