TEAM GORMAN — Their Challenges to Arrive at Central Park
by Trina Stokes

Team Gorman: Tom, Ron, Patricia, Mary, Joe, Mimi, Matthew, Jami

Before the 2003 Unity Walk, I met Tom and Patricia Gorman by answering their questions about on-line fundraising and other Walk details. This was the first time Team Gorman would be part of raising funds for research.

It was after the Walk that I learned of their challenges to arrive at Central Park on the rainy Saturday afternoon. They also shared with me how they heard about the Walk and why they wanted to be involved.

Tom was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease 2 years ago at the age of 55. Although he experienced several classic Parkinson's symptoms, he ignored them from ignorance and fear of learning his true medical condition. He finally visited a neurologist, Dr. Fred Weinblatt, who performed the primary motor examination.

Dr. Weinblatt's diagnosis started Tom on his Parkinson's learning experience. "I was guilty as the average person - all I knew was that old people got it, and it made them shake." Tom now takes dopamine, selegiline and entacapone. "Without the medicines, I would have stooped posture, slow motions, and many other symptoms," Tom commented. "Having Parkinson's makes everyday a challenge - physically, emotionally, and spiritually."

I asked Tom how he heard about the Walk. "I was surfing the Web looking for a way to make a contribution. The Walk was a good way to get the word out on Parkinson's. It's nice to know that a number of organizations and research entities are working on Parkinson's. The Walk was a positive place to see this. There is hope."

Tom has been self-employed, working from his home for 10 years. Parkinson's has slowed him, and many days he takes a nap. He has been able to pursue his avocation as a writer. He has had two children's books published: The Magic Christmas Train, and the recently released The Old Neighborhood. The short "bio" on the new book's back cover mentions Tom has Parkinson's and is currently working on a book describing his experiences with the disease.

Tom has read Michael J. Fox's autobiography Lucky Man. "I enjoyed it very much," Tom stated. "He has been an inspiration, carrying the banner for Parkinson's awareness and research. My 13 year old son, Matthew and I have watched Back to the Future so many times we know most of the lines."

Once Tom and Patricia found out about the Walk they mentioned it to their family members and friends and were pleasantly surprised that many want to participate. The walkers discussed what to name the team, and after a spirited discussion, chose Team Gorman. Tom sent e-mails, used the Friends asking Friends feature on the Unity Walk website, and sent letters encouraging donations.

They had blue t-shirts specially printed for the Walk that said:

Parkinson's Unity Walk
Central Park, New York
April 26, 2003
Team Gorman
Downingtown, PA
Walking the Walk to stop Parkinson's Disease

I asked Patricia about how she copes with knowing Tom has Parkinson's. "Tom knows that I am a person that never gives in. I just keep pushing; you have to try to be persistent."

Tom knows exercise is beneficial for him, but wasn't always a necessity. They have a dog named "Tosh" that has become Tom's workout partner. Patricia said, "She was kind-of-one of those dorm dogs that was really meant to be Matthew's. Tosh, a 50 pound, part Chow and part Shepherd mix was an unexpected bonus. The dog helps Tom exercise and stay fit. Tom was a runner and hated to walk. Tom and Tosh go out first thing in the morning, at lunch and at night for long walks. The dog helps keep Tom motivated, and she needs her exercise, too."

I asked Tom to share his views about PD and the hope about finding a cure. "One point is that the baby boomer generation is getting older and there is no time to wait. We need better treatments and a cure quickly. We who have Parkinson's need to go beyond our own comfort level and fight it. My principal avenue is writing, but I need to be more vocal in the battle. Parkinson's is a deceptive disease - the medicines masquerade most of my symptoms, but for how long?"

The Team Gorman Unity Walk travel adventure started at 7 am from Patricia and Tom's Downingtown home with Matthew and friends Ron Hill and Mary Sadowski in the Gorman's SUV. They were on the Pennsylvania Turnpike destined for the Trenton, NJ train station when a near disaster happened.

Tom was driving in the middle lane when he saw a disabled car "sitting" in the outside fast lane no more than 30 yards ahead. Before Tom could move from his lane to the "slow" lane, the vehicle traveling beside the Team Gorman SUV entered their lane, sideswiped and rocked the SUV. Team Gorman heard a loud bang from the impact. The vehicle kept going as Tom searched the lanes before him.

Realizing he was quickly leaving the accident scene, Tom stopped the SUV on the shoulder. Fortunately, no one was hurt. When Tom tried to get out of the SUV, he realized the door and window would not open. The back driver side door would also not open so that everyone had to leave by the passenger side doors.

Ron and Tom walked on the highway shoulder to the accident scene. By this time, another car had rear-ended the stopped car. The two occupants of the car that hit the stopped car were hurt and taken away in ambulances.

By the time the state police completed their accident reports the group had been delayed more than an hour. Tom asked the team members what they wanted to do. The vote was unanimous for continuing to Trenton and on to New York.

They arrived in Trenton at about 10:00 am, meeting Tom's brother Joe and his wife Mimi who had driven from Wilmington, DE. Taking the NJ Transit train, they finally arrived at New York's Penn Station, and took the subway to 72nd Street. At the Walk site, they met the final team member, Jami Gordon, who had arrived from Connecticut. Team Gorman was complete with its eight members just as the walk was starting. They felt relieved to be there and finished the Walk in high spirits.