Fantasy of lights

The Uxbridge Parkinson's Support Group in Ontario, Canada, created a 6x4 ft replica of Karen Painter's PD tulip in LED lights for the local Optimists Club's a "Fantasy of Lights." Go to http://uxparkinsons.com/FantasyofLights.aspx to view a slide show of the tulip display.

"I hope that it brings a smile to your faces, as we are very proud of it," wrote Maureen Gilleece, co-founder of the Uxbridge support group, and pdplan4life's "friend to the North."

We LOVE it, Maureen! Thank you for finding yet another way to help make Karen's tulip the symbol for Parkinson's Awareness, "reminding everyone that we are one community working toward common goals: to help people with Parkinson's live better longer, and to discover better treatments and eventually a cure."

Stitching the PD Tulip

When Parkinson’s disease ended Dorothy Harris’ 25-year career as a surgical nurse, she turned to her long-time passion for cross stitching to help her come to terms with her illness and to raise money for Parkinson’s research.

Dorothy asked experienced cross stitch designer, Sue Hillis, to graph Karen Painter’s PD Tulip, into cross stitch. Sue did, and Dorothy finished stitching it on 28-count linen.

“Thankfully, my occasional right hand and wrist tremor disappear when I stitch, but I dread the day that I will no longer be able to do it,” she says. I've gone through the stages of grief for having this progressive disease and have begun to accept my illness...one day at a time."

Dorothy raised more than $100 for the Michael J. Fox Foundation in a single weekend, and another $170 since then, after posting her story with links, on a cross stitch message board.

"It made me feel good to know my idea had become reality," she said.

Donate $5 or more to The Michael J. Fox Foundation at Jean's Team Fox PD Tulip Page, and you can receive a PDF file of the PD Tulip cross stitch graph, Email jean@pdtulip.com

Tattoo tributes

When I saw this new PD tulip, I was on a mission. I had it tattooed on the inside of my left wrist so people would see it and ask why I have it, and they do.

I tell them my mother had Parkinson's and died last year. I still miss her so every day. This tulip tattoo is a constant reminder of her. That's why I love when people say how beautiful it is.

The PD tulip is the only symbol that has really touched my heart and I will take it with me into eternity.

good luck & good health...sue

I got this tattoo for my dad, Abe Taback. He has Parkinson's and fights it every day. He even takes a special kickboxing class designed to help people with Parkinson's build their muscles and overcome this disease.

You don't have to be kick-boxer to be a fighter.  Battling Parkinson's is a fight all in itself.

This boxer does not represent my dad as a kick-boxer, but as a person who never quits and  never let's the Parkinson's win.

 Hope you like this, dad, because I can't undo it!!!!

So now whenever I want to give up, I can just look at my arm and say nope, if my dad can give more and not quit, so can I.

your son, Brian

Tulip pin makes surprise appearance

Karen Painter's tulip pin made a surprise appearance at the 2008 Unity Walk in New York City when Anne Udall wore it on her teeshirt. Anne is the daughter of the late Arizona Congressman Morris K. Udall, who was instrumental in the 1997 passage of legislation (the Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Disease Research Act), which authorized up to $100 million to support Parkinson's disease research.

Individuals living with Parkinson's, their families, friends, and caregivers along with Parkinson's groups from Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Virginia, Washington state, Texas, Indiana, New Jersey, Indiana, Wisconsin and Arizona are using (or plan to use) Karen Painter's tulip design to promote Parkinson's awareness and the urgency for a cure. Many thanks to our partners and teammates in this effort.

Who is using the PD Tulip and how!

• Parkinson Foundation of the Heartland
• March 26, 2008 Power Over PD Conference - Tucson, AZ
• Midwest Chapter of APDA
• Symposium 2008: Research is Hope
• 2008 Southeastern Parkinson Disease Conference
• Malaysia support group
• Belfast, Northern Ireland - a new leaflet cover
• Northwest Georgia Parkinson Disease Association
• AZ-APDA

• Young Parkinson's of Indiana
• Parkinson's Awareness Association of Central Indiana
• PD support group in Fishersville, Virginia
• Dallas Area Parkinsonism Society (DAPS)
• Edge of the Forest
• NPF YOPN Conference 2008
• NPF leadership meeting
• NeuroTalk
• Wisconsin Chapter of APDA
• April 19th Polk County Parkinson Disease Walk for Hope!

Linda Webb of Williams, Arizona, has dreams of a "Parkinsons Patchwork Project" that would have quilters create quilts to promote awareness of PD, and to raiser funds for research to find the CURE and provide treatment for those who would  otherwise not afford it.

Interest in this new PD Tulip design is spreading like wildfire at the grassroots level. Here are some ways its being used to promote Parkinsons awareness. If you or your organization are using this tulip, please send us a photo and the details -- wed love to showcase your efforts!

Polk County Walk for Hope!

Susie E. from Staten Island sent us this photo.

Susie E. from Staten Island sent us this photo.