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Tourette Syndrome Association of New Jersey
50 Division Street • Somerville, New Jersey 08876
Phone 908-575-7350 • Fax 908-575-8699
Web Site: www.tsanj.org • e-mail: NJTSA@aol.com
Friday, October 21, 2005
HOOP-A-PALUZA TO DONATE $20,000
TO TSANJ EDUCATOR IN-SERVICE PROGRAM
Fund Raising Event Scheduled for Sunday, November 6, 2005
SOMERVILLE, NJ - Tourette Syndrome Association of New Jersey (TSANJ), a Somerville-based organization whose mission is to support the needs of families impacted by Tourette Syndrome (TS), advocate for individuals with TS, and educate the public and professionals about TS, has announced that Hoop-A-Paluza, Inc. will donate $20,000 to help support the TSANJ statewide In-Service programs for educators. The donation will be part of the funds raised at Hoop-A-Paluza IV on Sunday, November 6, 2005, from noon until 3:00 pm at Millburn High School in Millburn, NJ.
HOOP-A-PALUZA, INC., a New Jersey nonprofit corporation (HAPI), is a public charity that concentrates its efforts in improving the physical and mental well being of children in New Jersey. The Foundation focuses its grant making on organizations that serve children locally, including children's health services, outreach to affected families, and pediatric medical or scientific research.
Participants on the November 6 event are asked to solicit pledges to support their effort at shooting 20 foul shots per person. Pledges may be a flat amount or a per basket contribution. The events of the day include activities for children of all ages and lunch and snacks, free of charge to registered participants and their family members. Activities include moon bounces, inflatable slides, catchy music, crafts, face painting, tattoo art, and more. For registration information, go to www.hoopapaluza.org.
The TSANJ In-Service Program provides training to educators to enable teachers to better recognize and work with TS and its associated disorders in the classroom. If a teacher is able to recognize the symptoms of TS, the child is better able to obtain the help and support that he or she needs. Undiagnosed, these children are perceived as disruptive, do not get the medical attention that they require, and end up poorly prepared to enter college or the workplace. TSANJ has recently embarked upon an aggressive program of In-Service sessions with educators in inner city schools.
The In-Service program has been expanded to include workshops on TS and other neurological disorders as part of the professional development program at community colleges across the state, awarding Continuing Education Units (CEU's). Over the past 8 years, TSANJ has reached more than 20,000 educators delivering literature and training on TS. Approximately 40 in-services of this type are conducted annually. Information on the TSANJ In-Service program may be found at www.tsanj.org or by calling 908-575-7350.
BACKGROUNDER:
Tourette Syndrome (TS) is an inherited neurological disorder that is manifested in involuntary physical and vocal tics. Symptoms generally appear before an individual is 18 years old. TS affects people of all ethnic groups with males affected 3 to 4 times more frequently than females. It is estimated that 200,000 Americans have full blown TS and that as many as 1 in 200 show a partial expression of the disorder. There is no cure for TS.
TSANJ has a membership of 2,500 families and medical professionals. The organization relies completely on its membership, corporations, government, and foundations to fund its mission.
Currently TSANJ operates 9 support groups at regional medical centers across New Jersey; conducts awareness training for teachers, school nurses, students and community leaders; manages a TS help line for disseminating information about TS to parents, teachers, doctors, and others; sponsors a state-wide Family Contact Program; and works with Rutgers University at the nation's only student clinician TS clinic, developing support programs and treatments for families dealing with TS.
TSANJ is collaborating with UMDNJ Medical Schools and Rutgers University to create a New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders (NJCTS). The NJ Center will offer a much-needed diagnosis and treatment resource for the thousands of New Jersey families with TS. In addition to serving the medical and psychological needs of TS families, the Center will become a resource for TS patients and families willing to participate in controlled research studies into the causes and effective treatments of TS and associated disorders.
PRESS CONTACT: Rich Reitman 908-526-1390 or 908-400-6061
This page was last updated
February 19, 2007
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