Former Resident Helping Children Understand Parkinson’s Disease

Former Allendale County resident Kay Mixson Jenkins has written a book explaining Parkinson’s Disease to children. The richly illustrated book is entitled “Who Is Pee Dee”. It follows the story of a little boy named Colt who believes his Mommy does not love him because she never smiles.

What Colt does not understand is that Parkinson’s Disease affects the muscles of the patient which makes them appear angry or sad. With the help of his panda bear Pee Dee , Colt will learn about the different symptoms of Parkinson’s and how he can help his Mommy.

Over 1.5 million Americans are living with the disease that robs a person of their ability to speak and move. Sixty Thousand new cases are reported every year. Patients are unjustly thought of as drunk or on drugs due to the tremors, slurred words and balance problems.

Kay developed Parkinson’s Disease at the age of thirty four, enduring six years of being told there was nothing physically wrong with her until the day she met Dr. William Garrett, a movement disorder specialist in Savannah, GA. In seven minutes Kay’s world change forever. She had Parkinson’s and there was no cure.

Since then she has become a tireless advocate and a respected leader in chronic disease organizations nationwide. 

Parkinson’s in the Park (Founder)—a chapter of the National Parkinson Foundation
Parkinson’s Action Network (Georgia state coordinator) Effingham County Parkinson’s Support Group (leader)
St. Joseph’s/Candler Movement Disorders (team committee) St. Joseph’s/Candler Young Onset Parkinson’s (representative)
NPF and PAN (GA regional Parkinson’s speaker)
UCB (Parkinson’s advocate)
Northwest Georgia Parkinson Disease Association (conference speaker)
YOPN Newly Diagnosed Forum (panelist)
NW GA Fall Symposium (presenter)
Young Onset Parkinson’s Network (conference committee)

She has enlisted major endorsers to lend their name to her book including the presidents of the Northwest Georgia Parkinson Disease Association, the Parkinson’s Association of Louisiana and the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation.

Who Is Pee Dee? has received reviews from Eugenia Kaye the founder of www.pdhope.org , Dr. Ronald Pfieffer Vice Chair of Neurology ,University of Tennessee, Dr. James McNamara Associate Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine.; Barbara Gatens Director, Center for Oto-Neurology St. Joseph/Candler Savannah, GA and Dr. William T Garrett, Chief of Staff St. Joseph/Candler Hospital, Director SJCH Movement Disorders Program and several parents living with the illness.

For more information on Who Is Pee Dee? Explaining Parkinson’s Disease to a Child please visit www.whoispeedee.com