Jeff DeCicco remembers his earlier days in the classroom. He has Tourette Syndrome (TS), neurological disorder characterized by tics. Back then, when he needed a voice, the NJ Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders (NJCTS) spoke for him.
Jeff DeCicco, Youth Committee member of the NJ Walks for TS at Princeton, taking place Sunday, April 2.
Through the education outreach program, NJCTS delivered in-school workshops and, according to DeCicco, “helped me get through the school day a little easier when both the teachers and students knew more about TS.”
“As many as 1 in 100 children in New Jersey show signs of TS,” said NJCTS Executive Director Faith W. Rice. “Thousands of kids need support in classrooms across the state, and that statistic raises the chances that a teacher could have several students with TS during their career.”
DeCicco is giving back by serving as a youth committee member for the 4th annual NJ Walks for TS at Princeton 5K walk/family fun run on April 2nd at 1 p.m. at Mercer County Park. All proceeds from the event will benefit the NJCTS education outreach program which also provides grand rounds at hospitals across the state to help clinicians identify, diagnose, and most effectively treat TS and its associated neurological and mental health conditions.
Registration and information about NJ Walks for TS at Princeton is available at www.njcts.org. DeCicco says it’s an important day for the community at large because “even without a personal connection to TS, others should come walk with us in support of an organization that works so hard to help improve the lives of those living with TS.”
To register or donate online, visit www.njcts.org. Check-in begins at 1 p.m. at the Mercer County Park, West Picnic Area, 1638 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, NJ 08550. Sponsorships are available by calling NJCTS at 908-575-7350.