Focus on a Cure is the May-July 2007 Team Fox Spotlight

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When my journey with Parkinson's disease began in October of 2004 I felt very alone as if I was the only one my age that had been told they have PD. Other than my wife Ann no one understood the isolation I felt as we faced the uncertain future that PD may carve out for me and us as a family. Ann immediately began researching what Young Onset Parkinson's disease (YOPD) was and what we should expect as time went on. I at this point wanted nothing to do with it and let her read all she wanted but I was not interested in anything but feeling sorry for myself.

In mid 2005 Ann joined Team Fox but it was not until late 2005 she let me in on what she was doing and it was at that moment everything changed for me. Ann had created Team Glowienke and had already begun planning our first event, a walkathon to be held in spring 2006. As we began to work together on this project it developed into what is now The Focus on a Cure Foundation for Parkinson's. I always knew that she would stand by me but I never dreamed what her idea for a small fundraiser with family & friends would become and how it would change our lives.

We have taken the basic vision of Team Fox and developed our own foundation to allow us to have larger events and increase the awareness and money needed to find a cure for Parkinson’s. Team Fox has given us the opportunity to meet many wonderful people in the Parkinson’s Community that are willing to support our efforts. In addition we have created a myspace page http://www.myspace.com/focusonacure myspace is a social networking site that has quickly become a forum for individual causes. Through the myspace community we have received support and donations from across the country and as far away as Australia.

We have also formed some lifelong friendships with others in the fight to cure Parkinson’s. It is through these friendships we were able to participate in the 2007 Parkinson’s Unity walk in New York at Central Park on April 28. 2007. We walked with a team of myspace friends to support one of our friends with YOPD from Pennsylvania; the team Jim’s Gems raised over $2000.00 for Parkinson’s Research. Ann and I attended the Team Fox MVP dinner on the night before the walk and had the opportunity to meet Michael J. Fox and talk with him about the impact Team Fox has made. In the first year Team Fox raised over one million dollars for the foundation and for us to be a part of that is the most fulfilling thing we have ever done.

"Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him" What we did was join Team Fox and became proactive in finding cure and it has changed our lives is a positive way. I feel I have been blessed with the burden of Parkinson’s and it is our commitment through Team Fox to find a cure for myself and the more than six million people worldwide that have Parkinson’s disease. We encourage everyone to join Team Fox, whether you are connected in someway with Parkinson’s or you just feel it is a worthy cause to be part of. I assure that you will get more out of it than you ever expected.

This article was published in The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research Fall 2006 Newsletter

FAMILY TOUCHED BY YOUNG-ONSET PARKINSON’S WALKS FOR A CURE

Two years ago, Ann Glowienke of Oswego, Illinois, and her husband, Ken, learned that Ken had Parkinson’s disease. At age 38, with his whole life ahead of him, Ken found himself putting his dreams and goals on hold to learn about the disease and try to determine what his future might hold. Unfamiliar with Parkinson’s, Ann decided to take the lead in researching the disease; she soon discovered Team Fox.

Reading the stories of so many people working to raise funds and awareness,Ann realized she could inspire her family, too, to approach her husband’s diagnosis with optimism and hope. From that moment, she knew, they would focus on a cure. “I decided that rather than sitting and watching PD take control of our lives,” Ann said,“we were going to take some ownership in finding a cure.” The family was inspired to host a large fundraising event that would help them and their community take action to speed a cure.

Together they lit on the idea of a walkathon, called “Focus on a Cure.” The first Focus on a Cure took place on May 20, the weekend of Ken’s birthday. It was a great success and a great way to celebrate.Over 50 people attended, walked, enjoyed donated food and raffle prizes, and raised more than $3,500 for Parkinson’s research.

“I have always said things happen for a reason,” Ann concluded,“and Ken now believes this too — we think in some way, being a part of the big picture and focusing on a cure, is our reason.”