Michele Tagliati - Parkinsons Disease For Dummies

by Michele Tagliati, MD; Gary N. Guten, MD, MA; and Jo Horne, MA

Parkinson's Disease For Dummies

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Copyright 2007 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2006939494

ISBN: 978-0-470-07395-7

Manufactured in the United States of America

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A diagnosis of Parkinsons disease is a life-altering event. There is no one way to deal with it. Everyone has a unique set of circumstances, and every patient experiences Parkinsons differently. Thats why one book on PD can never be all things to all people. Whether you are living with the disease or are a caregiver or friend to someone who is, you will come to rely on a wide variety of high-quality books, manuals, Web sites, resources and tools. You may be surprised by the voracity of your appetite for newer, better, and just plain more information about PD. And since Parkinsons is for now, at least a disease that stays with you for life, your information needs may evolve and change over time.

This book represents something incredibly important: a place to start. We commend its emphasis on tenets that we at The Michael J. Fox Foundation strive to incorporate into our work: an action orientation, a problem-solving mentality, and the distillation of a great deal of complicated information into clear, logical next steps.

Most importantly, the Foundation shares with the authors of this book a commitment to keep patients front and center in every decision we make. As the largest funder of Parkinsons research outside the federal government, we actively partner with scientists to innovate new funding mechanisms that can maximize the quality, quantity and pace of PD research. With a comprehensive view of the field and proactive management of the grants in our portfolio, we are ideally positioned to bridge the gap between basic research and the clinic. For years scientists have asserted that with sufficient research funding, a cure for Parkinsons is within reach. We are working urgently to prove them right.

I am continually inspired by the patients I meet who are endeavoring to live their lives beyond the potentially limiting effects of this disease, defining themselves by their achievements, not their struggle with PD. But no one who knows Parkinsons would suggest that a positive outlook is achievable all the time. Do everything you can to put the odds on your side: Find doctors you trust and can build relationships with; eat well and exercise as much as possible; appreciate and invest in your family and friendships; investigate ways to reduce stress and practice what works for you.

And know that work is continuing aggressively to make this disease, finally, a thing of the past.

Debi Brooks President and CEO, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research