Support education, empowerment, anti-bullying by walking/running
MEDFORD LAKES, NJ – Kids helping kids. That’s what you’ll find at NJ Walks for TS at Medford Lakes on September 18th. The 5K walk and family fun run was developed by kids, to help kids with Tourette Syndrome and its accompanying conditions.
Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neurological disorder which causes movements or vocalizations known as tics. Most children living with TS also endure ADHD, learning disabilities, and mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. As many as 1 in 100 children show symptoms of TS, or 20,000 in New Jersey alone. Students with TS report feelings of isolation and routinely suffer bullying for a condition that is beyond their control.
This is where NJ Walks for TS comes in. The statewide movement was founded in 2010 by a North Jersey teenager who wanted a show of support for her family member with TS. Since then, kids and teens have stepped up to host NJ Walks for TS events in their communities. It’s South Jersey’s turn on September 18th.
All proceeds from NJ Walks for TS at Medford Lakes will benefit the Education Outreach Program of the NJ Center for Tourette Syndrome (NJCTS). The community made last year’s event an outstanding success.
“The outpouring of support from friends, neighbors and local businesses went a very long way in allowing NJCTS to deliver in-school trainings for teachers, anti-bullying presentations for classmates, and hospital grand rounds to create a new generation of doctors to identify and properly manage this often misunderstood disorder,” said NJCTS Executive Director Faith W. Rice.
NJ Walks for TS at Medford Lakes begins at 7 a.m. on Sunday, September 18th at P.J. Whelihan’s, 66 Stokes Road, Medford Lakes. Registration discounts are available at www.njcts.org/walk.