Washington, DC - March 5, 2003 - The Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA) held a Congressional Luncheon yesterday to educate congressional members and their staff about a $1.5 million appropriation in the Department of Health and Human Services Budget, for an education and research program on Tourette Syndrome (TS). Funding was authorized for the TS initiative under the Children's Health Act in 2000, but money has never been allocated. Actors Richard Dreyfuss and Polly Draper lent their voices to a line up of TSA members who placed their personal struggles with TS into context for an audience of about 60.

“TS is the most common unknown disorder,” said Fred Cook, Chair of
the TSA Board, “But the TSA is a place that all Americans can turn to
when the disorder has been diagnosed.” A neurological condition, TS is characterized by involuntary motor and vocal tics. Those affected by the syndrome often find themselves subject to societal misperceptions due to a lack of understanding about Tourette Syndrome.

“In just the past few minutes, members of this audience have learned
more about TS than most medical staff know,” said Dr. John Walkup of John Hopkins University. “TS has moved from a disease of the mind to a disease of the brain, and now we are seeing a whole shift in the research efforts related to the syndrome."

“Tourette Syndrome makes people make weird sounds and weird movements, but  people with Tourette Syndrome are not weird,” said Polly Draper of how her 8 year old son matter-of-factly stopped two girls the same age from teasing him.

TS has become a personal mission for celebrities Draper and Dreyfuss.

Richard Dreyfuss has a very close personal relationship with the family of Jeffrey Kramer and Viktoria Holm Kramer of Los Angeles. During the briefing, 15-year old Jackson Kramer took to the microphone and relayed a compelling story. Growing up Jackson wore kneepads to protect his joints from injury related to a motor tic that forced his knees to involuntarily bang together. “‘‘Where are your skates?’’ people would always ask me,” said Jackson, “No skates I would reply, I just have TS.”

About the Tourette Syndrome Association:  the Tourette Syndrome Association, Inc. is the only national voluntary non-profit membership organization in this field. Its mission is to identify the cause of, find the cure for and control the effects of this disorder.  Email your questions to ts@tsa-usa.org, or telephone 718-224-2999.