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A West Bloomfield woman shares her knowledge with others suffering from essential tremor.

Di: Peter LeWitt addresses
the support group at
Temple Israel on May 24.

SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN
StaffWriter

K

nowing the isolation and
embarrassment that can
plague individuals with
tremors, Shari Finsilver's
drive led to a way to bring together
those with movement disorders.
Suffering for 40 Tears from both
intemal tremors and external ones in
her *lands, arms, head and voice, she
sought out a support group for those
with tremors caused by neurological
disorders.
She found on-line groups, includ-
ing several for adults and even one
for parents of affected children, but
no local program offe -;ng support for

those with tremors caused by move-
ment disorders, including essential
tremor (ET) which afflicts Finsilver,
of West Bloomfield.
Serving as a forum for education,
treatment and coping with daily
activities, the Michigan Tremor
Support Group was formed by
Finsilver in April. The International
Tremor Foundation (ITF) in Kansas
lists it as the only group of its type in
Michigan.
Gathering the fourth Thursday of
each month at Temple Israel, the
program is geared toward those suf-
fering from tremors, as well as care-
givers, family members, friends and
members of the medical community.
Supported by the Temple Israel

Family Life Center and the ITF, the
group will hold its next meeting at 7
p.m. Thursday, June 28. Anita
Haenick of Bloomfield Hills, a physi-
cal therapist specializing in neurologi-
cal disorders, will demonstrate exer-
cises and equipment for strengthen-
ing the body.

Finsilvers Tremor

Since age 11, Finsilver has experi-
enced symptoms of ET, the most
common of the more than 20 types
of tremor. Its rhythmic, involuntary
shaking affects 4-6 million individu-
als worldwide. ET is a term used to
include movement disorders not
caused by another neurological con-
dition or side effect of a medication.

In contrast to the estimated 1 mil-
lion individuals affected by
Parkinson's disease, where the tremor
occurs most often in arms or hands
while at rest or in a fixed position,
ET is most evident during sustained
posture or when performing an
action.
According to the ITF, only a small
percentage of those with ET get
medical help.
With tremor caused by ET becom-
ing more pronounced when patients
are cold, hungry, tired, stressed or
after physical exercise, many find it
impossible to perform the simple
tasks of feeding, dressing, cooking
and writing.
"I've spent my entire life master-

%TN

6/22

2001

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