Through the Eyes and Heart of an Advocate

Yesterday was a very special day for me. I brought together my team "Jim's Gems" for the second year in a row to New York City for the Parkinson's Unity Walk. I formed this team to honor one of my best friends Jim who has Young Onset Parkinson's Disease. He continues to inspire me and encourage me in my efforts to help find a cure. Without his support I would not be where I am. And that is a more active Advocate for my causes. I have walked 3 days/60 miles two years in a row for Breast Cancer. I have walked six years in a row for Multiple Sclerosis. I have walked two years in a row for Parkinson's Disease. And now my biggest endeavor to date is my effort to climb Mt. Hood in Oregon this July for Parkinson's and Alzheimer's Disease with "The Regulars".

I have been on all sides of the fence. I have been a caregiver to both of my parents. My mother battled heart disease and lung cancer on top of a rare blood disorder. My dad battled heart disease, had several mini strokes and just lost his will to live when my mom passed away. I cared for them both in my home while raising my boys who were just babies and my oldest who was 16. Along with my husband we cared for my parents in every way possible that you would care for someone that was ill. I will never forget this time nor will I ever wish it never happened. It was a time in my life when everything was right and made sense. When I lost both of my parents, which was within seventeen months of one another, my life crashed. But.....I rose abve and began a new journey. My journey of advocacy.

I know I can't begin to understand all diseases and what each one does to an individual. But what I do know is that my heart breaks knowing that people I love are fighting and people I have loved lost the fight. My hands are tied when someone says to me do you know what that disease is all about. No, I don't. I educate myself through books and Blogs and emails. I listen to those that have these diseases. I try to place myself in there shoes. The saying goes..."You can't walk the walk unless you talk the talk". This may be true in some incidences. But I believe an advocate is put into a different role. A role of caring for those that are looking for someone to give them hope that there are people who care enough to go the extra mile to help raise the funds to help find a cure.

I have said it before and I will say it another thousand times over......I will walk with you, for you, next to you, for my children, your children, there children. As long as God gives me the strength and the courage to pursue whatever avenue need be to raise the money, to draw awareness. I will be the shoulder you can lean on when you feel all is lost. Never will I let you feel that. An advocates heart is huge. As I know all caregivers hearts are also and all the ones who have to live everyday with these diseases. We are all in this together, there is no mistaken this. We join hands, hearts, souls to become one and find the cures.

Thank you all for giving me this opportunity to help. For making me feel important in your life. I thank God everyday for putting me in this role. For giving me the opportunities that have presented themselves to me. On behlaf of Jim's Gems and The Regulars......thank you for all of your support!!!!!!

There is still time to donate:

http://www.unitywalk08.kintera.org/jimsgems

OR:

http://www.theregulars.org

click on the links at the bottom of the home page for Alzheimer's or Parkinson's

World Up!
Eileen - aka........Strong Feather

Coppersmiths Success

Guys…

"The Regulars" Coppersmith’s Bar Event (April 5th. 2008) was a great success I have to thanks everyone who came out for us! But, first let me start out by thanking my Street Team; Stephen, Chris, Brian, Marsha, Carmelita & Deepak. They did a massive job at coordinating the venue, creating and sending the Evites, checking the door as people came in, the whole 9 yards.

I know it was going to be an unusual night to start with and it was. I thought it was going to be raining, and the weather actually cleared up nicely to make it a great night.

There were 3 people from this years Mount Hood 2008 Team there including Eileen & Eric.

I had some of my friends from MySpace turn out – who I never met before. Red came out (you can find her in my second top friend spot)! Sandra also came up from Jersey to make sure that Eileen didn’t get out of control!

We had Alicia from the Alzheimer’s Association come down with one of her friend’s who I might ad is a hugely accomplished photographer & writer!

We had 4 beautiful Alzheimer’s research scientists come out from NYU.

Brad from the Dewey Knights came out with a friend of his. Some of my relatives came out!

There were people from Facebook.

There were ton’s of people from Hoboken.

All in all there were probably more than a hundred people there.

It was a great time, with a lot of positive energy for 2 great causes – Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s.

I wish more of you could have come out, but there will be more opportunities in the future.

Check the MySpace photo album & the Facebook photo album over the next few days for photos!


World up,
Enzo

Coppersmith Event Tonight...more to come later

Hey it’s going to be an interesting night for the Regulars on the whole which I’ll write more about later during the week, so check back in on us.

I’ll tell you a little bit about what’s happening tonight but first let say that we have just officially started our fund raising effort for 2008. If you’d like to make a tax deductible donation to either the Alzheimer’s Association or the Michael J. Fox Foundation please click through on the following links.

Alzheimer’s Association:
https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=264554&lis=1&kntae264554=0BA67734AAF04C1EACB88374C000ABCE&supId=182059088

Michael J. Fox Foundation (Team Fox):
http://www.teamfox.org/siteapps/personalpage/ShowPage.aspx?c=mqITL0PHJtH&b=3944179&sid=ahJPJ0NGJhJMJXNzGmE

On behalf of more than 30 Million people world wide suffering with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease I ask for your support in the form of a donation to one or both foundations!

Research is fueled by donations from Regular people just like you and I. We all have a hand to play in bringing down these two giant diseases.

Now just a quick heads up, tonight the Regulars Street Team 2008 has put together a social event which will be held at Coppersmiths in Manhattan. Steve, Chris, Brian, Marsha, Carmelita & Deepak have really done a fantastic job coordinating this whole event. We will be using the proceeds to create a new 501c3 charity corporation so that in the coming years the Regulars can pull out all the stops and raise more funds for research than we could have ever hoped for as little band of climbers. This is going to prove to be great over the next few years...I can feel it.

Tonight we’ll have more than a hundred people showing up. There will be people coming who I have not seen since I was in college. There will be people I have never met coming from MySpace, and from Facebook. There will be people I’ve never met coming from the Alzheimer’s Association and very possibly the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
Of course, there will also be people I’ve known for years, and if you keep you’re eyes out you’ll even see one of my new & old team mates as the Regulars turn out!

It’s going to be a wild - wild - wild time, and my thanks goes out to all who attend! You will be helping us step into a much greater and more productive arena from which to battle Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s!

World up,
Enzo

Weights and machines and that padded floor thing

Six days a week, lifting, stretching, walking, sweating, meditating, preparing. Laundry, kids, carpooling, grocery shopping, cleaning, working. And on the seventh day I rested. Yeah right! But it’s all good and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Had to mention, cut consumption of coffee down to 80%. Before you know it coffee will just be a memory. But oh, what a memory. It has been my pick-me-up, my comfort zone, my go to when there is no where else to go to, my best friend on a rainy day, my survey drink of choice, my writing partner. But hey, who has time anyway to even drink coffee yet alone stress about it. There is just too much to do now. The focus is on the goal, the cause, the outcome. I am pushing myself to the limit and beyond. So I believe I am. I talk about it only when you address me. I keep to myself, but if you approach me and want to talk, I will talk your ear off. I have always been behind the scenes, shy, introverted person. I have come into my own over the last several years. I guess better later then never. I have a voice and I am using it.

I have strong convictions, and desires to make a difference in peoples lives. To open myself up to everyone that needs that hug or that reassuring talk to get them through there day. Training for my climb has changed me. Not a whole lot because I have been an advocate and caregiver for most of my life. Just internally grounded more because of what lies ahead. The strong, strong feelings I get knowing that I am making a difference and the hope for a cure is right there. The group I am involved with. the Regulars, how amazing to have been called up for this. But I was and not a minute in my life I am not thinking about it.

I guess some will view me as slightly cracked for feeling these desires about the whole thing and others will respect me for what I do. I have come to the conclusion it is not for anyone to judge me or why I do the things I do. I am a good mother to my boys and they support me. They push me when I am moving too slow getting out the door to the gym. Hoping one of them will say, "Come on Mom, stay home today and rest". I know my boys are mine when they say, "Get to the gym, you’re climbing a mountain". It sounds kind of funny seeing it in writing but it is what motivates me. I want my boys to look up to me, well, actually my 6’3" son I have to look up to, to emulate me, to be proud of me. They all exhibit strong qualities. I push them to be there best.

I center my life around these boys of mine. I want a world free of disease and for cures to be found for them. I want them not to worry about what my generation has been made to worry about. I want them to see that anybody can step up to the plate. Ok, ok, I know you’re thinking what the hell am I talking about. I can’t save the world. I can’t cure diseases. I can’t even climb a mountain......yet. My point is, strength in numbers yields more positive results. You can do anything in this life if you apply yourself and you move forward with it. We may be a small group of people climbing but the network we build behind us is enormous. "Together is One". Voices heard yield to more peoples ears to become opened and then step up to the plate and find the cures and the correct research and even the theories behind preventing these diseases.

That’s all. I’m doing ok with my training and even my lack of coffee, oh and chocolate. Back to the gym tonight and tomorrow night and the night after that. But like I said before.......It’s all good!!!!!!

World Up!
Eileen - Strong Feather
Mt. Hood - ’08