For Immediate Release:
National
Ataxia Foundation Cleveland Area support group meets in Sept. and Oct.
International Ataxia Awareness Day is Sept. 25th
International Ataxia Awareness Day is Sept. 25th
NORTHEAST
OHIO – The National Ataxia Foundation (NAF) – www.ataxia.org - and other
ataxia organizations throughout the world have declared Sept. 25, 2016 as
International Ataxia Awareness Day to help get the word out about Ataxia. An
estimated 150,000 individuals in the United States have Ataxia, a debilitating
condition that is a rare and often fatal neurodegenerative disorder. There is
currently no cure for Ataxia and limited treatments for it.
Members
of the NAF Cleveland area support group - http://ataxiafoundationcleveland.blogspot.com – will
recognize the day, after having a social meeting at Applebee’s in Independence
on Sep. 15. The group will meet again in October to discuss ongoing health and
support issues.
The
NAF Cleveland area support group is a group that anyone with Ataxia, or
affected by Ataxia or a similar neuromuscular disease, can join for resources
and discussions. The group usually meets monthly in a Cuyahoga County Library
or in a restaurant for social events. The NAF Cleveland area support group was
organized two years ago by Carmen Pieragastini and his wife Virginia (Ginger)
who live in Willowick. The support group has around 20 regular members from
Fairview to Euclid to Mansfield and everywhere in between.
Carmen
developed symptoms of Ataxia about a decade ago, his mother, Eleanor, suffered
with the disease and eventually died from it.
Last
month the NAF Cleveland area support group organized the Northeast Ohio Walk n’
Roll to Cure Ataxia at the Keystone Pavilion of the Cleveland Metroparks, West
Creek Reservation in Parma, Ohio. The event was sponsored by the Pipe Line
Development Co. (PLIDCO) of Westlake, OH and attended by about 100 people. More
than $12,500 was raised for the NAF and there were prizes auctioned off from
the Cleveland Browns, the Lake Erie Monsters, ROAD ID, Levin Furniture, Olmsted
Performing Arts and more.
To
find out more information about International Ataxia Awareness Day (IAAD) visit
- www.ataxia.org/events/international-ataxia-awareness-day.aspx - and get your
own IADD kit to help promote the day. The NAF Cleveland area support group and
group events and meetings visit http://ataxiafoundationcleveland.blogspot.com.
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