Community
#4 A4
6/22
2001
32
ing and developing coping
skills so as to hide my
tremors from the world,"
Finsilver says. "ET patier .
become experts ar living a
life filled v,ith excuses, lies
and deception.
'Around 40 years of age,
my tremors became more
severe and were greatly
affecting my quality of life."
"I didn't want anyone else
to suffer like I did,"
Finsilver says of her decision
to establish the support
group.
Shari Finsilver
Dr. Peter LeWitt
Most people have never
heard of ET- and many
was implanted in her brain, enabling her
patients are misdiagnosed, and do not
to suppress the tremor by controlling the
receive proper medical information or
stimulation with a special magnet.
treatment. Sometimes, patients are told
"I take every opportunity to educate
they are nervous because their voices
people
about ET and DBS surgery," she
quiver or they fear the ordeal of signing
says.
"I
love freaking people out when
a check in public.
they learn that I am truly a living bionic
"ET patients (may) think that they are
woman."
completely alone," Finsilver says. "They
Last month's support group meeting
never meet anyone else themselves.
was led by Dr. Peter LeWitt, a Royal
"I receive phone calls daily from peo-
Oak-based Beaumont Clinical
ple sufferir; from tremor," she says.
Neuroscience
Center neurologist special-
"One caller, a woman in her 60s, has
izing in movement disorders. He per-
battled head and hand tremor for most
formed Finsilver's surgery.
of her life. She has now become reclu-
Future meetings will include a presen-
sive, due to her severe and embarrassing
tation on the type of surgery performed
head tremor. She cried when she talked
on Finsilver; a talk by an occupational
to me because she had never met or spo-
therapist; a psychologist's discussion on
ken to another person with her condi-
relaxation, visualization and feedback to
tion.
reduce
tremor and a demonstration of
"I understood her feelings, experi-
products
and devices available to assist
enced her life challenges, and spoke her
with
eating,
drinking, writing and corn-
language."
puter use.
Finsilver also recently spoke with a
"The more informed patients are, the
man whose 9-year-old son was diag-
more
they can be in control of a some-
nosed with ET in his hands. "Their
times
uncontrollable medical situation,"
family was devastated, but relieved to
Finsilver says.
find a group existed to try and help
The next step is for the group to go
them help themselves," she says.
out
into the community to educate
The initial meeting of the group
about
tremor, beginning in the schools
brought nearly 40 individuals from a
with
school
counselors and nurses.
cross-section of ages, backgrounds and
"I
now
need
to reach the many people
locations.
who
have
no
idea
that ET exists or still
Finsilver is not only an activist for
think
that
they
are
the only person in
information. about her disorder, but
the
world
suffering
from it." ❑
informs those affected of its treat-
ment.
Wanting to further educate the
on on the Michigan Tremor
public about ET, she hopes her
Group, including the 7 p.m.
group can be a vehicle for providing
WIC 28, meeting at Temple Israel,
information about support and spe-
, (248) 683-2456 or access
cialists so they can receive prrper
wvvw.finsilver.com
diagnosis.
frnsilver@earthlinknet
Medication that has
proven effective in many
was unsuccessful for
tial tremor, contact the
Finsilver, who had bilater-
Foundation, 7046 West 105th
al deep-brain stimulation
Kansas 66212. (913) 341-
surgery in 1999. A device
b side at:
called the Activa System
Grosfelds Endow Leaders' Program
Nancy and James Grosfeld have
future communal leaders — by provid-
endowed a substantial gift to promote
ing them with an opportunity to learn
Jewish identity and leadership involve-
more about our local and worldwide
ment among Detroit Jewry's young
Jewish community, as well as to have
adults.
an in-depth Israel experience."
The Bloomfield Hills couple have
Both James and Nancy Grosfeld
established the Grosfeld Leadership
serve on the Federation's Board of
Program through
Governors and its
the Millennium
executive com-
Campaign for
mittee and on
Detroit's Jewish
the United
Future.
Jewish
"With this gift,
Foundation
Nancy and Jim
Board of
show their recogni-
Directors.
tion of the need to
James co-chairs
nurture and
the Federation
encourage our next
Finance
generation of lead-
Department's
ers," said Penny
investment corn-
Blumenstein,
mittee. He also is
Jewish Federation
on the National
of Metropolitan
Commission of
Detroit president.
the Anti-
The Grosfeld
Defamation
Leadership
League and
Program is part of
chairs several
the Millennium
committees. The
Campaign's Jewish
retired chairman
Life Fund, a series
of Pulte Homes,
of specially desig-
he is a private
James and Nancy Grosfeld
nated and named
investor who
donor funds under
serves on various
auspices of the Federation and its real
boards of directors.
estate-banking arm, the United Jewish
Nancy is a vice president of the
Foundation.
Federation Women's Campaign and
The program will enable young
Education Department and serves as
adults with leadership potential to par- its Campaign chair. She is an ex-officio
ticipate in an Israel-overseas experience member of the Federation officers
program that features both a pre- and a group. She also is a board member of
post-educational component. The pro- Jewish Association for Residential
gram will focus on leadership develop-
Care. She was president of the
ment, community involvement, Jewish Michigan Humane Society for 10 years
history and Jewish identity.
and now serves on its executive com-
"The future of our Jewish communi-
mittee.
ty is very important to Jimmy and me,"
The Grosfelds are Temple Beth El
said Nancy Grosfeld. "It is our hope
members. Their children are Rachel
that, through our Millennium Fund,
Kukes of Birmingham and Jason
we can attract and cultivate a group of
Grosfeld of New York.
Music Fest Features Lebenbom Piece
La Journee, a musical piece for
English horn and piano composed by
Elaine Lebenbom of Bloomfield
Township, will be performed on
Tuesday, June 26, and Wednesday,
June 27, at Temple Beth El during
the Great Lakes Music Festival.
The performance, featuring pianist
Robert Conway and first chair oboist
Donald Baker both of the Detroit
Symphony, will be the first time the
festival has featured a work by a
Michigan woman composer.
Lebenbom, who has a master's
degree in composition from the
University of Michigan, has had her
work performed by the Detroit
Symphony as well as performances
by choral groups in the New York
area.