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| Brenda Allred's Fundraising Page |
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Hello, I'm Brenda Allred, the American Parkinson Disease Association’s Information & Referral Center Coordinator at Gulfport Memorial. Whew...that’s a mouthful.
I am so thankful for Lee Voulters, M.D., who is responsible for the one and only Information & Referral (I & R) Center in Mississippi. Dr. Voulters serves as Medical Director for the Center. He is the only neurologist in Mississippi who is a member of the Movement Disorder Society.
The MS Chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association was initiated in January 2009. The Chapter is the fundraising arm of the I & R Center. In addition, the Chapter helps to promote community awareness about this disease, helps to provide annual symposia, and produces the newsletters for our State.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a debilitating, progressive neurological disorder resulting in the loss of dopamine production. Dopamine is a substance that is essential to normal nerve activity in the brain. Some people do not like to hear the word, disease. The origin of the prefix, “dis” means “lack of,” or “not.” I like to think of the word as meaning “not at ease.”
It is believed that a combination of genetics and environment play a role in the cause of PD. This is the way Katie Couric described it to Michael J. Fox during an interview several years ago, “Parkinson's is like a loaded gun; genetics is the gun and the environment pulls the trigger.”
There is no specific test for PD, therefore it may take as long as a year or two before receiving a diagnosis. Your physician will usually go by your history of symptoms. There are some simple things your doctor will look for while you’re at the clinic, i.e., do you swing your arms while you walk; do you have a shuffled gait; are you doing the classic “pill rolling” movement with your thumb and finger, etc. Sometimes a CT Scan or an MRI will be ordered to rule out a stroke or other causes for your symptoms.
Presently, there is no cure. Although there are medications, many patients find it necessary to take 20 or more pills per day just to be able to move or function. This can be very time consuming and life seems to revolve around taking medications. In addition, many patients will experience side effects from the medications. Depending on the type of Parkinson's meds and length of time they have been taken, some serious side effects can occur. One in particular is called dyskinesias...these are abnormal writhing, twisting movements, and another is the inability to stay awake during the day. This can be a real problem when driving a car.
The 4 classic symptoms of PD are: 1. Tremor (resting tremor) 2. Rigidity (stiffness of muscles) 3. Bradykinesia (slowness of movement) or Akinesia (lack of movement) 4. Postural instability (loss of balance and coordination). Normally, the first symptom to appear is a tremor of a hand or a foot, almost always on one side of the body. Usually postural instability does not occur until later on in the disease process. To receive a diagnosis of PD by a physician, one must have two or more of the classic symptoms.
With Parkinson’s disease the symptoms are unique for each individual. Loss of sense of smell (anosmia) and a cramped handwriting that progressively gets smaller (micrographia) are very common, as is an inability to express appropriate facial expressions. It is common for PWP (people with Parkinson's) to have a blank or masked facial expression. I suppose this would be a good thing when playing poker.
Some of the non-motor symptoms are: depression, excessive sweating, incontinence, constipation, pain (particularly in the legs), breathing or heart rate irregularity, blood pressure problems, and hallucinations.
Just being able to move freely is one of the biggest problems that PWP describe. “It’s like you’re in a big vat of molasses and trying to walk or move.” Try moving in that! Many PWP may experience “freezing” - where they get stuck in place and simply cannot move. This usually happens in doorways or in crowded areas.
The most dangerous problems that can occur with PD are falls and aspiration pneumonia. Aspiration pneumonia can happen when fluids or food get into the lungs. This is caused by swallowing difficulties. One SLP (speech and language pathologist) at a support group meeting said that if you notice the patient constantly clearing his or her throat, it is the first sign of swallowing problems. Complications from falls and aspiration pneumonia can be fatal. Do not hesitate to get an appointment with a physical therapist if you are experiencing falls or if you are having balance problems. Also, please get an evaluation by a SLP if you’re having speech or swallowing difficulties. (Having a low voice volume and sometimes mumbled speech is common in PWP.)
There are 1.5 million Americans with Parkinson's disease. It's estimated that 15,000 Mississippians suffer from the ill effects of Parkinson’s. Approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with PD each year.
Most people with Parkinson's are 60 years or older. However, an increasing number of people in their 30's, 40's and 50's are being diagnosed with PD - an estimated 20% are young adults under age 50. Parkinson’s disease can affect all ages - and even some children, although this is rare.
April is recognized as Parkinson's Disease Awareness Month; April 11 is World Parkinson's Day. James Parkinson, an English physician born April 11, and for whom the disease is named, wrote in 1817 "An Essay on the Shaking Palsy,” a paper which drew attention to the malady.
Every year the APDA celebrates April with a national Walk-A-Thon. Together APDA Chapters and the I & R Center Coordinators from all over the country participate in the campaign by hosting a walk-a-thon or some other type of fundraiser. The purpose is to increase public awareness about the disease as well as to raise much needed funds for Parkinson’s disease research -- 100% of the total proceeds go to the APDA national office and are used specifically to underwrite the cost of Parkinson’s disease research.
Since its inception in 1961, the American Parkinson Disease Association has been at the forefront of every major breakthrough in PD. The APDA is a nonprofit 501 (c) 3 voluntary health organization committed to serving the Parkinson community; it receives no public funding or government assistance. The APDA is the largest grassroots organization for Parkinson’s disease in the nation. In addition, APDA is the only Parkinson’s organization with a National Young Onset Center.
We share the APDA’s mission: “Ease the Burden and Find the Cure.”
I look forward to helping those who are searching for information and referral resources concerning Parkinson’s disease.
Brenda Allred, RN, Coordinator
APDA Information & Referral Center of Mississippi
Home: 717 Clay Street, Vicksburg, MS 39183
Phone: 601-638-7484 |
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Total Donations Collected:$900.00
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| Goal: $500 |
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