April 2013
To all my friends, colleagues and others interested in my battle against Parkinson's Disease, I'm winning and bound and determined to prove once again:
OPTIMISM CAN TAKE YOU ANYWHERE!
It is kinda crazy, half the people I talk to think I have quit boating, stopped my efforts to raise awareness of parkinson's Disease (PD), or my efforts to support the American Parkinson Disease Assoc, RI Chapter. I suppose it is due in part to things being quiet on the FaceBook site, Twitter, and teambobpreston.blogspot.com. Yes, we cut back on the postings when we ended our last cruise and lost our social media maven to grad school (miss you Christina), but we are working on that. We have a new writer and editor for social media who is also a PD'er, I look forward to reading her posts and unique
take on things.
It's the dead of winter, and what else have we been up to? Most importantly: The new boat construction continues and it is on schedule for delivery the last week of July thanks to Petzold's Marine Center and Sabre Yachts the dealer and builder respectively! See below for a sneak preview.
Second: You will be happy to know that I survived the Miami Boat Show, or should I say it survived me. I did my part in getting this consumer driven economy going.
Next. Please consider this an update, my status. To make it easier on me, this is an open letter to any and all that have taken an interest to our adventures in the past and it partially answers the most often asked question: "Bob, when are you going to slow down? Do you have any clue as to the definition of the word "retirement"?
1. SPREAD AWARENESS - WITH PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE COMES PUBLIC FUNDING, FOLLOWED BY RESEARCH, FOLLOWED BY A CURE!!! To that end, we have been interviewed on several radio programs in the last 3 months alone with several more already scheduled. We were approached by 2 national magazines in recent weeks to schedule interviews, those will happen closer to the begining of our cruise. I have lost count in the number of presenations The Admiral and I have made to boating groups, Parkinson's groups and others. Modesty aside, the video and PowerPoint presentation about our long distance travels with PD have been very well received. We are booked for the next month but if you have a group that would benefit from a very uplifting story about meeting challenges in life head-on and winning, please drop us a line. That is how we spread awareness.
2. WALK-THE-WALK! DEMONSTRATE IN ACTIONS AND WORDS THE POSITIVE HEALTH BENEFITS OF AN OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK AND ATTITUDE IN FIGHTING ANY CHRONIC ILLNESS. Rest assured, I have Parkinson's on the ropes and I am pummeling him good. I stand by my statement that, I am having a blast, truely content, and despite having PD I would not change places with anyone in the world. Nobody!
3. RAISE SOME BUCKS. We are currently just over $155,000 NOT including a $20,000 challenge grant we were able to secure which will match dollar-for-dollar all donations received by RIAPDA designated for this campaign. Never one to miss a goal, the $20k challenge with the $20k match will put us within shouting distance of our $200,000 goal. Please note 100% of ALL donations go directly to the RI Chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Assoc (RIAPDA.ORG) for Patient Care Services. We will neither solicit nor accept any monies to offset our campaign expenses, they are paid out-of-pocket.
In any event, we are building up a head of steam to begin our next boating adventure (PD be damned!!!) with the next leg of our trip starting on 7-1, a 1000nm ride to Quebec and back on our current boat. Then we turn around, head South and pick up the new boat on 8-1 cruising New England waters shaking out the bugs for 2 months, leaving here on 10-1 for points South. Gotta be in Annapolis for 10-15 boat show where The Admiral and I will be doing our video or slide presentation to many attending the show. Thereafter we go wherever the Admiral tells me to aim the pointy part of the boat. As of now, she wants the boat at anchor in the Turks April 1. Loosely plotted course from here to there 2400 nautical miles or about 2995 statute miles each way.
What is my point in all of this? I strongly encourage anyone with a chronic illness to find theirpassion in life whatever that may be. Focus on what you love, what you can embrace and enjoy, not on your symptom of the day. You will be amazed by your mind's ability to override yours body's complaints.
To close, I have a passion for the wide open sea. I love being underway, in command of my vessel, solely and absolutely responsible for it's operation and safety of my crew. When we far off shore, the boat becomes very, very small - it's like you are in your own world. To me it is visceral, I cannot fully describe the feeling. Yet I know with all my being that by sheer will, tenacity, and outright determination to continue boating and venturing afar is WHY I WILL BEAT PARKINSON'S. GUARANTEED!
BE WELL!!!
BP
BOB PRESTON
m/v FAMILY TIES 3
.jpg)
