Re: just found this on PANs website :)

[Brightline <brightline@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear Tom:
    Thanks for the good work you are doing.  I did not know about the
symposium.  It must have happened while I was out of town for almost two
months.  This is a good example of being active and nlot passive or
criticising and calling names of  people who are trying to help themselves.
    Please let me know if I can be of any use in your efforts.
     Raj
brightline@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
**********

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Berdine" <tomberdine@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <PARKINSN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, December 29, 2002 12:13 PM
Subject: just found this on PANs website :)


> In the hands of the young and talented people at the Young Onset
> Parkinson’s
> Association (YOPA), their first symposium was a stunning success. With
> only two
> months of planning, the event went off without a hitch.
>
> Friday morning began a gorgeous Albuquerque day with 700 hot air
> balloons beginning
> their mass ascension right outside of the hotel, which seemed to set the
> tone for the
> conference. The symposium began with a bang as the YOPA team was
> introduced and
> the speakers began. The speakers were: Susan Reese (APDA) who discussed
> resources
> for young onset patients, Dr. Andrew Singleton (NIH) who discussed the
> genetics of PD,
> Dr. Marcus Keep (University of New Mexico) who discussed surgical
> procedures for PD
> with a focus on DBS, myself, and Russ Ahlstrom who is an author and 38
> year diagnosed
> PD patient. The presentations were very well put together and seemed to
> flow into one
> another nicely. Approximately 75 people participated in the conference.
>
> My own experience at the conference was incredible. I talked about PAN
> and our
> mission, my own experience with Parkinson’s Disease and the importance
> of advocacy.
> The message was very well received. Many people came up to me afterwards
> and were
> very positive and encouraging. Several people told me their stories and
> that they were
> interested in getting more involved in advocacy. The audience was very
> politically savvy
> and asked good questions about things like the Parkinson’s Disease
> Research Agenda,
> stem cells, writing letters to their Members of Congress, etc.
>
> The following day, the weather cooperated once again, giving beautiful
> blue skies for the
> 1st Annual YOPA Walk. Prior to the walk, I was able to show the Udall
> dinner film and
> interact with the attendees. I was even able to sign a few people up to
> be on PAN’s
> mailing list. I then participated in the 2K walk along with about 30
> members of the PD
> community (there was also a 1K walk that a similar number of people
> participated in).
>
> The event was a great success. I was overwhelmed by how supportive and
> excited people
> were about my job and our mission. It was a remarkable experience, a
> real highlight.
>
> Laura Jane Cohen
> Outreach Coordinator
> Parkinson’s Action Network
>
>
>
> The Young Onset Parkinson's Association is a legal corporation,
> incorporated as a not-for-profit in New Mexico and headquartered in
> Albuquerque. We are in the middle of applying for our 501C(3) federal
> tax exemption status and expect to have it within 2 - 6 months. If this
> exemption is not approved, at first, your donation may not be tax exempt
> until the time that we are approved federally.
>
>
>
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