A local dystonia advocate, Lynn Williams, hopes her dystonia awareness challenge will become as viral as the ALS ice bucket challenge. The dystonia challenge dares people to bite into a lemon and record the moment, and then donate at least five dollars to the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation (DMRF).
According to the DMRF website, dystonia is a neurological disorder that causes muscles in the body to spasm and contract involuntarily. The disorder can affect one muscle group such as the neck muscles or it may be generalized and affect muscles throughout the body. The Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia & Parkinson Foundation website says as many as 500,000 people in the U.S. and Canada suffer from the condition, with the severity of symptoms varying from person to person. The disorder can affect people of all genders, ages, ethnicities and races.
Williams said one lemon could be used for several challenges, and is not as wasteful as the ice bucket challenge. Some criticized the use of dumping fresh water as insensitive to those in areas where water is a scarce commodity.
Williams endured the lemon-biting herself, and then she challenged her family.
Williams, who suffers from the disorder, said she was diagnosed in 1999. Her condition was attributed to arthritis and she did not know she suffered from the condition for about 10 years. Her dystonia began in her neck and eventually became generalized. Williams was fitted with electrodes which send pulses to the misfiring portion of her brain and help to control spasms.
Williams said she thinks her lemon campaign will raise awareness of dystonia and possibly help sufferers who may not know what their symptoms may stem from.
Her grassroots efforts include writing letters to Winnemucca Mayor Di An Putnam and Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval asking to make September dystonia awareness month. Dystonia awareness information is running on the marquees at both the Winners Casino and the Winnemucca Inn.
A petition, created by another dystonia advocate, is asking the Obama administration to recognize September as dystonia awareness month. The petition requires 100,000 signatures by September 30 for the White House staff to review it. If enough support is garnered, the White House will send the petition to policy experts and issue an official response. To sign the petition visit dystoniaaware.org or visit the petitions page at whitehouse.gov.
As of Friday, about 6,950 people had signed the petition.
Contact Stephanie Morton at s.morton@winnemuccapublishing.net.[[In-content Ad]]
