Oliver Newhoff, 7, of Milford, Pennsylvania is the captain of his team for the 2021 NJ Walks for TS Virtual Walk. Oliver has raised over $1,000 for the NJ Center for Tourette Syndrome (NJCTS) since he created his team on May 1.
The NJ Walks for TS program was created in 2010 by kids, for kids, in collaboration with NJCTS. The three-month virtual crowdfunding campaign promotes acceptance, awareness, advocacy, and action on behalf of children and families living with Tourette Syndrome—an inherited, misdiagnosed, and misunderstood neurological disorder characterized by involuntary sounds and movements know as tics that affects 1 in 100 individuals. These team and individual events are a chance to stand up and step out to break the stigma attached to TS and show support for friends, family and neighbors living with this neurological disorder. The NJ Walks for TS campaign wraps up during TS Awareness Month, May 15-June 15. TS Awareness Month is a nationally recognized month for those with TS to spread awareness about their disorder.
Oliver was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome only a few months ago, but has been experiencing tics since the age of 3. He’s very open about having TS and loves telling people more about it to help educate them. “It’s really, really important that I do this walk so that I’m distracted and don’t do my tics as much. Even though my tics make me special, I don’t want to do them all the time,” says Oliver. Within the first week of fundraising, Oliver has already had to change his goal amount twice!
NJ Walks for TS encourages all participants to rally around kids, families, and adults with TS and form teams to walk and fundraise in support of a future with more treatments and less stigma. Oliver, his friends and family are all part of this vision. Thank you Oliver! To support Oliver’s efforts, visit www.njcts.org/oliver.
The NJ Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders, the nation’s first Center for Excellence for Tourette Syndrome, is a not-for-profit organization committed to the advocacy of children and families with Tourette Syndrome and its associated disorders. Dedicated to delivering high quality services to these individuals, the Center recognizes the importance of educating the public, medical professionals, and teachers about this disorder through programs and affiliations with public schools, health centers, and universities. Visit www.njcts.org for more information.