Monday, June 29, 2009
Contact InformationOlga Vladi
Marketing Director
Arbor Books
212-956-0950
info@... MAY HOLD KEY TO PARKINSON'S DISEASE

(Springfield, GA)—Recently, scientists at the Weill Cornell Medical School were
able to recreate the symptoms of Parkinson's disease in mice, leading some to
believe that a breakthrough in treating the ailment could be just around the
corner.

According to a study in the journal Nature Neuroscience, the research involved
creating an animal model of Parkinson's in mice so that scientists can focus on
preventing the progression of the disease rather than just on treating its
symptoms.

"This research is a huge step for the Parkinson's community," says Kay Mixson
Jenkins, author of Who Is Pee Dee? Explaining Parkinson's Disease to a Child.
"With efforts like these, Parkinson's patients have hope that funding and time
are going into meaningful steps towards an eventual cure."

Ms. Jenkins, founder of the non-profit Parkinson's in the Park, was diagnosed
with the disease when she was just thirty-four. She wrote Who Is Pee Dee? for
kids who may be asking, "What is Parkinson's disease?" or, "What are Parkinson's
disease symptoms?"

The book follows a young boy named Colt as he tries to deal with his mother's
illness. It's the kind of story Ms. Jenkins hopes will be made obsolete by the
research being done with mice at Weill Cornell.

"I hope that researchers continue to get funding both private and public," says
Ms. Jenkins, whose book includes a discussion of some of the following symptoms:
• The constant fatigue created by the struggle to control body movement.
• The loss of coordination when doing even simple tasks
• The anger and resentment that can come from feeling overwhelmed

For more information, contact the author directly via
kmj@....