2012 Events Announced
The Wisconsin Parkinson Association has announced its events schedule for 2012. Click here for details!
WPA Publishes FY 2010-11 Annual Report
The WPA has just published its current annual report for the fiscal year ended September 1, 2010, through August 31, 2011. Copies have been mailed to all donors and paid members. Call 414-219-7061 to receive a copy in the mail or click here for an electronic version.
¡Adelante! Interview of Blankenship to Air on Milwaukee Public Television November 29
An interview with Jay Blankenship, executive director of the WPA, aired on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. on ¡Adelante!, broadcast on Milwaukee Public Television (MPTV HD 10.0 and MPTV 36.2). Blankenship discussed Parkinson disease and the services and programs of the WPA. Click here to view the segment!
Yoga Therapy Class for Parkinson's Begins in Wauwatosa
Presented by Integrative Yoga Therapy, classes for Parkinson's are being offered at Haleybird Yoga Studios, 9207 West Center Street, Wauwatosa (please note that elevator access is not available in this building). Sessions will begin at 3:30 p.m. and are 75 minutes in duration. For more details and to register, contact Biz Casmer at biz@sunfloweryogatherapy.com or (612) 801-0188.
Free Daylong Seminar November 12 in West Allis for Caregivers
Register for a free, interactive seminar for persons caring for adults with long-term health conditions, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson disease, dementia, etc., to be held at VMP Manor Park in West Allis, Wisconsin, on Saturday, November 12. Complimentary respite care for care receivers will be provided. Click here for more information.
WPA Seeks Members for its Board of Directors
The Wisconsin Parkinson Association is searching for additional members to join its board of directors. If you want to be actively involved in the WPA's goals and objectives and can bring your expertise to help maintain the WPA's financial viability, please consider applying. Click here for an application packet and form. If you have any questions, please contact Executive Director Jay Blankenship at (414) 219-7916.
John Argue Interviewed by insighttrails.com
Click here for a recent interview of John Argue and his work with Parkinson's as it appears in Insight TrailsTM.
Thank You, Donors to the WPA Virtual Tulip Garden!
In early July, the WPA offered its members and donors the opportunity to "plant a tulip" in our virtual garden for a birthday, anniversary, or memorial, or just to let your loved one know you care. Through August 31, for all donors to who contribute $25 or more, we will post the name of someone you would like to honor or remember on the WPA website, in The Network magazine, and in the Regional Parkinson Center lobby. For gifts of $50 or more, you may include a brief dedication or message. It's a wonderful way to support the WPA while honoring someone you care about!
If you would like to receive information about participating in the virtual tulip garden, please call Juliette Hayes at (414) 219-7060 or toll-free at (800) 972-5455.
Gifts of $100 or more
in memory of
Earl Mondloch from Marilyn Mondloch
Gail Nigbor from Harold Nigbor: "We love you, we miss you"
Dr. Elieser B. Suson from Eufrocina C. V. Suson: "You are always in our hearts"
in honor of
The Doctors and Staff of the Wisconsin Parkinson Association from William Barnewitz
Gifts of $50 to $99
in memory of
LaVerne Brewer from Beth Archer: "Always with us"
LaVerne Brewer from her siblings: "Love to our big sister"
Edward W. Burgess from Doris Burgess
Jody Goratowski from the Gary Schilling Family: "Forever in our hearts"
Marie Hoort from Patricia Johnson
Ralph Huettner from Elaine Huettner: "Forever in my heart"
Dick Klopcic from Betty Klopcic: "You are always in our hearts"
Walter J. Knatzke from Karen M. Knatzke: "You are always in our hearts"
Thomas Martynski from Marilyn Martynski: "Always loved and never forgotten!"
Ralph Schleicher from Mary Alice Schleicher and Family
Frank F. Uttech from Elda Uttech: "You are always in our hearts"
Nancy Crowley Vojtik from Edmund J. Vojtik: "My thoughts all turn to you"
in honor of
Ken Hunt and Ken Muderlak from Jim and Linda Maki
Derek Rack from Bernadette Rack: "You're always trying"
Bob Ruder from Roberta Ruder
Gifts of $25 to $49
in memory of
Joel Adler from Susan Adler
Gordon S. Anderson from Dorothy Anderson
LaVerne Brewer from Don and Anette Strickler
Myron "Mike" Fidler from Nancy Fidler
Orville Gauger from Eunice Gauger
Orville Gauger from Julie and Dan Kroll
William Halverson from Jacqueline Halverson
Gordon Helgeson from Diane Stadler
Kevin Hogan from JoAnn Hogan
Herbert H. Hopper from Mary Hopper
Kenton Kilmer from Lois Kilmer
Bernadine Lesch from Celeste Lesch
Thor Lindgren from Jeannette Lindgren
Barbara Elliott Lindus from Pauline Shearer
Margaret "Margie" Linnemann from Terry Linnemann
Kenneth E. Miller from Kathleen Miller
Ron Olberding from Joyce Olberding
Phillip Pipia from Mrs. Phillip Pipia
Charles F. Reiser from Julie Burn
Donald Sampson from Janaan Sampson
Gordon J. Steck from Jane Steck
Frederick L. Steinmann from Rose Ellen Steinmann
Bertha Vash from Donna Bidwell
Ronald G. White from Carolyn White
Leo A. Wichman from Susan Wichman
in honor of
Norm Adelman from Jay and Ellen Blankenship
Jim Allen from Dan and Linda Majewski
Ed Banas from Joe Banas
Grant Beckfield from Shirley Beckfield
Patricia Dankmeyer from William Dankmeyer
Bill Gran from Carol Gran
Ann W. Hershman from John Hershman
Lowell Hubbard from Carol Hubbard
Daniel Ludka from Elaine Ludka
Bev A. Mickelson from Janet Mickelson
Frances Ranson from Mark Ranson
happy anniversary to
Mavis Kilbourn from Richard Kilbourn
happy birthday to
Melissa from Thomas Magee
donations
Beverly Neff
Mary Ramsey
SINEMET® Prescriptions
The FDA recently approved the Merck pharmaceutical company's new supplier of SINEMET and SINEMET CR®. As a result of this change, the pills you receive from your pharmacy likely will be changing in shape, color, and marking. The tablets will no longer be scored for splitting. The National Parkinson Foundation will post images of the new pills on its website (www.parkinson.org) as soon as they become available.
If you are having problems with your SINEMET prescriptions, please call the National Parkinson Foundation (800-473-4636) and tell them about your situation.
DVA Publishes Final Regulation to Help Vietnam Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange
On August 31, 2010, the Department of Veterans Affairs published its final regulation establishing that Parkinson disease, ischemic heart condition, and B-cell leukemias are service-connected disabilities for Vietnam veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange. The final regulation grants a 100% disablity rating for Parkinson disease, as well as retroactive veteran and survivor payments for qualifying veterans.
This means that qualifying Vietnam veterans with PD can access health care and disability compensation more easily. Veterans do not have to prove an association between their disease and their military service. If a veteran served in Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975 and now has been diagnosed with Parkinson disease, he or she is presumed to have been exposed to herbicides. This presumption simplifies and accelerates the disability compensation application process; all those awarded service connection will become eligible to join the VA health care system.
The VA will now review approximately 90,000 previously denied claims by Vietnam veterans for service connection for these three conditions. Some additional veterans will be eligible for retroactive benefits. For new claims, the VA may pay benefits retroactive to the effective date of the regulation or to one year before the date that the VA receives the application, whichever is later. For pending claims and claims that were previously denied, the VA may pay benefits retroactive to the date it received the claim.
Even though the final regulation is published, it is subject to a 60-day review period by Congress before the VA can begin paying benefits for new claims.
If you are a Vietnam veteran with PD and have not applied for benefits, submit your aplication for compensation now, even before the VA can start paying claims. For complete information about this regulation and for application information, visit http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1945.
Parkinson Disease Work-related Disability Assessment Form
Some persons with Parkinson disease may have difficulty obtaining Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits because of inadequate documentation of symptoms in their medical records. The Parkinson's Action Network (PAN) has created a form to be used by both clinicians and patients to help document and track a person's symptoms, with particular focus on the symptoms that are most likely to interfere with one's ability to work. This form is designed to supplement a patient's medical records and is not a Social Security Administration form or application; neither does it replace individual legal or medical advice.
To access this form from the PAN website, click here for a copy. Please help distribute this form to those with Parkinson's, caregivers, doctors, and support groups. The form can be downloaded, printed, posted on bulletin boards, and discussed with doctors and support groups. It is free for all to use.
Board of Directors
The Wisconsin Parkinson Association is governed by a board of directors that numbers between 12 and 20 members and is composed of persons with Parkinson disease, family members, business professionals, attorneys, physicians, community volunteers, and allied health professionals. In addition to serving on the board, members may also participate on committees that oversee finance, membership, and strategic planning. We are pleased to name below our current board of directors.
Keith Brewer, President
Michael Hillman, Vice President
Edmund J. Vojtik, Treasurer
Betty Sancier, MSW, Secretary
Barbara G. Abrams, MSW
Charlotte Bernard, JD
Ruth Busalaachi
Toni L. Ihler
Alan J. Katz
Elliot M. Lubar, MSW
Cheryl Prescott
Pamela Schultz, PhD
Katie Swartz
Jerry D. Zimmerman, JD
Richard Schumann, Director Emeritus