Press Release from American Parkinson's Disease Association

“Optimism Can Take You Anywhere Tour” to end Parkinson’s disease launches!

New York, New York - Congratulations to Bob and Becky Preston on the launch of the Second “Optimism Can Take You Anywhere Tour.”  

The Preston’s, of Rhode Island pushed off their 48-foot custom built Sabre motor boat from Narragansett Bay on September 28, for an eight-month journey to Turks and Caicos.  The goal of the journey is to raise funds and awareness for the American Parkinson Disease Association.

After Bob was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) in 2007, he launched the first “Optimism Tour,” a 5,000-mile round trip excursion from northern Maine to the Florida Keys. 

Bob tells his story. “I enjoyed a very successful 33-year career building a large insurance organization before retiring in 2011, at age 53, the very top of my career, due to the effects of Parkinson's disease.”  Bob found irony in the fact that while his career was ending, he unwittingly discovered a new life's calling, to support Parkinson’s patients and help fund a cure.

This passion, drive and focus have lead Bob to a multi-year odyssey calledthe “Optimism Can Take You 

Anywhere Tour,” which has three guiding principles:

To PROMOTE awareness of Parkinson's disease and its effect on 1.5 million Americans.

To DEMONSTRATE in words and actions the importance of a positive outlook and positive health benefits in fighting any chronic illness. In fact, Bob doesn't say, “I have PD,” instead he says, “PD has me, and it should be very afraid.”

To FUND a cure!  To date, Bob’s optimism and determination have raised more than $250,000 for the American Parkinson Disease Association to “ease the burden – find the cure.”

The Optimism Tour will take Bob and Becky to Annapolis, MD through the month of October.  From there they will head down the coast to North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, arriving mid-December in Stuart, Florida where they will remain through the holiday season.  Through January 2014, they will traverse Florida on the water way canal and Lake Okeechobee arriving in Sarasota mid-January for a one month stay.  February and March will take Bob and Becky to Marco Island and for an exploration of the Everglades.  From there they will travel to Little Bahamas and Grand Cayman with the final leg of the trip rounded out navigating Alturas, and Turks and Caicos through April and May.

To learn more about the Optimism Tour or meet Bob and Becky on their journey, contact Kathy Whitford, Vice President of Communications for the American Parkinson Disease Association.  Donations to support the “Optimism Tour,” can be made at http://tinyurl.com/OptimismBobPreston

To Read Bob's story and track his travels......
Blog: OptimismTour.blogspot.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/OptimismTour
Twitter: Twitter.com/OptimismTour