Parkinson’s sufferer takes a walk in the park
Cleburne woman meets celebrities at Parkinson’s walk in New York City

By Michael Mager/Features Editor
Published: May 16, 2007 12:26 pm
http://www.cleburnetimesreview.com/l...136122634.html

She is not sure whether she did the entire two-mile circuit April 28 at the Parkinson’s Unity Walk in New York. But Debbe Woodard knows she and her daughter, Brooke Fisher Morales, had a great time and learned a great deal about “the city that never sleeps,” Parkinson’s disease and themselves.

The city was much grander and dirtier than they’d expected.

“It was kind of weird,” Woodard said. “There’s hardly any grass in the city. We didn’t get back to the hotel until after midnight because we wanted to see everything we could.” Indeed, the pair saw more of New York than many native New Yorkers ever do. They met TV personalities Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts of ABC’s “Good Morning America.” They also met fellow Parkinson’s patient Michael J. Fox, who spearheaded the walk with Muhammad Ali’s wife, Lonnie. The former boxing great suffers from the disease.

The event was a big success as far as numbers of participants and donations.

More than 11,000 attended the walk, said Valentina Trepeschko, assistant office manager at Unity Walk headquarters.

“We’re still counting the money that was raised because it is still coming in, but we are already over the $1.5 million mark.”

It wasn’t the personalities, though, or the city that “wowed” Woodard an Morales most, however. It was Parkinson’s sufferers who stumbled along bravely and struggled to speak about the disease publicly and who befriended the two that will remain etched in Woodard’s mind.

“There was one man in particular,” Woodard said. “He was up on the stage, and he was shaking so badly. All he wanted to do was to finish his short speech. When he finally did finish, everyone there got to their feet and gave him a standing ovation. Everybody there was just so nice.”

Woodard learned about the “many different directions” the disease can go.

“I looked at all the people, and they were all pretty different, with different symptoms,” she said.

Woodard was unsure whether she and her daughter finished the walk. She broke an ankle earlier this year — caused by a Parkinson’s-induced fall.

“We had to stop because my foot was hurting too badly,” she said.

Woodard and her daughter took many photos of each other with celebrities they met, had photos taken of them, and took photos of landmarks around the city. When they got home, her daughter presented Woodard with a photo album of their New York adventure.

“We had a great time there, and we learned a lot,” Woodard said. “But you know what was the most amazing thing? We were walking down the street and there was my friend from Cleburne, Jimmy Campbell. They say anywhere you go, you’re liable to meet someone you know from Cleburne. I guess that’s true.”

Inspired by the people she met and heard speak, Woodard plans on starting a support group for local Parkinson’s sufferers and their families. To participate or help, call Woodard at 817-645-7038.