The Challenges of Running a Fundraiser
One of the least obvious aspects of what an advocate does is the actual planning of fundraising events. In order to continue our mission of educating and advocating on behalf of those with Tourette Syndrome, we need to raise funds. For me, I chose to plan a track and...
You’re More Than Your Tics: Starting the School Year with Tourette Syndrome
Hi, my name is Dylan Straley, and I’m a junior at Colts Neck High School. Summer flew by, and now it’s that time of year again—back to school. I know the start of the school year can feel stressful, but sometimes the best thing you can do is just sit down, take a...
Researchers Discover Dozens of Genes Tied to OCD and Tic Disorders
A Rutgers-led international collaboration has identified 36 genes that substantially raise the risk for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and chronic tic disorders – providing what two researchers said is the most detailed biological understanding of how these conditions develop – and how they might eventually be treated.
To Tell or Not to Tell
I was seven years old when I was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome but ten years old when I found out. After noticing my tics, my parents brought me to a neurologist and got my Tourette diagnosis. Their decision at the time because I was so young was to explain to me...
Teen Blog Submission: Amanda Shares About Her Experience Having a Sister with Tourette Syndrome
Hi, I am Amanda I am currently studying the performing arts and elementary education. My sister, Emily, has Tourette’s Syndrome. She is the most caring, passionate, strong, loving, and determined person I have ever met. She does not let her tics define her but she...
Scholarship Winner, Eleanor Dragonetti’s Essay Submission
A Different Kind of Perfect The letter R was my introduction to shame. At five years old, standing on my kindergarten classroom rug and practicing the alphabet, I realized I was different. My /r/ sound didn’t match that of my classmates’. I began speech therapy a few...
Scholarship Winner, Vihaan Iyer’s Essay Submission
Growing up, I constantly had to explain Tourette’s syndrome to people who didn’t understand the term. I thought the label would be a quick fix: a surefire way to help people understand me, without having to rehash my story every time I was met with a blank stare....
NJCTS Loses State Funding, Turns to Community Support
For the first time in more than two decades, the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome (NJCTS) will not receive its state funding this year. NJCTS is the only organization in the state of New Jersey that supports those with Tourette Syndrome (TS), a condition that...