Join Us for our August 6th Virtual Meeting!

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Saturday, August 6, 2021
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
via Zoom

Development of a New Potential Medicine for Essential Tremor:
Why is it Taking so Long?

presented by Dr. Mandy Sterkel and Dr. Michelle Baladi
Jazz Pharmaceuticals

In this overview on drug development and clinical trial design, Drs. Sterkel and Baladi will cover some key considerations when designing clinical trials. They will discuss the iterative process and collaborative nature of drug development, highlighting the numerous stakeholders Jazz Pharmaceuticals work with along the way, including patients, caregivers, and regulatory agencies. They will also expand on the rationale for developing JZP385 for patients with essential tremor and discuss Jazz’s recently initiated Phase 2b clinical trial, the EveresT Study. This presentation is for anyone interested in learning more about the drug development process and a novel potential medicine for the treatment of essential tremor..

Dr. Mandy Sterkel is a Clinical Scientist within the Neuroscience Clinical Development department at Jazz Pharmaceuticals. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from West Virginia University and completed her post-doctoral fellowship in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. Dr. Sterkel has been at Jazz since 2016, and currently works as the Clinical Science Lead on the JZP385 Essential Tremor program. Dr. Sterkel lives in San Jose, California and in her free time she enjoys running, baking, and spending time with her husband, 1-year old son, and dog.

Dr. Michelle Baladi joined Jazz Pharmaceuticals in 2015 and is currently the global development lead for JZP385, which is a T-type calcium channel modulator in development for the treatment of Essential Tremor. Dr. Baladi holds a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Texas Health Science Center and has predominantly focused on neuroscience research during her career in the academic and pharmaceutical world. Dr. Baladi resides in the Clinical Development Neuroscience group at Jazz and lives in San Francisco, California. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, hiking, attending music concerts, traveling, and reading.

​Inquiries are invited!
Registration is required no later than noon on Wednesday, August 3rd!

To register or request information, email Helen Moser or submit the form below.

The CT essential tremor support group is sponsored by

IETF logo tagline 10162012

Plan to Join Us on August 6th!

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The next regularly scheduled CT Essential Tremor Support Group meeting is set for 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 6th. Our speakers and program will be announced shortly.. but we do hope you’ll save the date and plan to join us!

We’ve Scheduled 2 Great Presentations for our June 4th Meeting!

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Saturday, June 4, 2022
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom

Botulinum Toxin Treatment for Essential Tremor
presented by Duarte Machado, MD
Co-Director of Hartford HealthCare’s
Chase Family Movement Disorders Center

~and~

Mindfully Stress-Less
presented by Sharon Gutterman, PhD
Mindful Wow!

Botulinum Toxin Treatment for Essential Tremor
At this meeting, Dr. Machado will review the safety and efficacy of botulinum toxin treatment, starting with a brief summary of this topic and followed by new data since the topic was last reviewed by our group over three years ago (in April, 2019).

Dr. Duarte Machado, who we’re fortunate to have as volunteer Medical Director for our CT Essential Tremor Support Group, is a Neurologist who specializes in Movement Disorders.

Co-Director of Hartford HealthCare’s Ayer Neuroscience Institute Chase Family Movement Disorders Center, Dr. Machado is Board Certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. After completing his undergraduate degree at Trinity College, Dr. Machado attended the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, followed by an Internship at Yale-New Haven Hospital; Internal Medicine and Residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital; Neurology and a Fellowship at Yale University School of Medicine; Movement Disorders.

He is a member of several Professional Organizations:

  • American Neurological Association
  • American Academy of Neurology
  • International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
  • National Physicians Alliance
  • New Haven County Medical Association

Dr. Machado’s areas of interest include:

  • Essential Tremor
  • Parkinson Disease
  • Chorea
  • Dystonia
  • Tourette Syndrome
  • Huntington Disease
  • Myoclonus
  • Restless Legs Syndrome
  • Gait Ataxia
  • Spinocerebellar Ataxias
  • Botulinum Toxins
  • Deep Brain Stimulation

~then~

Mindfully Stress-Less!
Stop! What are you thinking right now? Dwelling on past regrets or worrying about the future? Research findings suggest that living mindfully in the present moment can be an antidote to stress and anxiety (both of which we in the ET Community know will negatively impact our tremor!), as well as a tool for cultivating health benefits. In our time together, we will take a look at foundational principles of mindfulness, practice meditation, explore truisms about the human condition, experience the triangle of awareness, and welcome new ways to surf the waves of life’s challenges.

Dr. Sharon Gutterman’s academic background includes a Ph.D. in medical education, Masters degrees in counseling and adult educational program development, and a Bachelor’s degree with honors in psychology.

Her training in mindfulness includes an intensive mindfulness-based stress reduction group training program taught by Jon Kabat-Zinn and Saki Santorelli. Completing the Practicum at The Center for Mindfulness at The University of Massachusetts Medical Center, her teaching has been greatly influenced by attending numerous workshops and retreats taught by inspiring teachers.

​Dr. Gutterman’s advanced certificates include:

  • Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Intensive and Practicum (Center for Mindfulness/U.Mass. Medical Center)
  • Mindful Schools Mindfulness Curriculum 
  • Reiki Master, trained in the Usui System of Reiki Healing
  • Yoga Nidra trained at Kripalu
  • Certified Instructor Connecticut Police Academy
  • Certified in administering and consulting with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
  • Wellness Committee Internal Medicine Department, University of Connecticut Health Center

You can learn more about Dr. Gutterman and her practice on her website: www.mindfulwow.com/

​Inquiries are invited!
Registration is required no later than noon on Wednesday, June 1st!

To register or request information, email Helen Moser or submit the form below.

The CT essential tremor support group is sponsored by

IETF logo tagline 10162012

Schedule June 4th in Your Calendar!

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Be sure to save the date for our next regularly scheduled CT Essential Tremor Support Group meeting: 1:00-3:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 4, 2022! Details will be announced as soon as they’re available.

A note concerning our meetings: Because of our large attendance, we need to convene in hospital conference rooms.. so until our Connecticut hospitals re-open their facilities to large outside groups, we’ll continue to meet via Zoom. That being said, please know that we’re anxious to meet in person again and will continue to monitor the situation so we can make that happen as soon as possible. Although Zoom is a viable option for many of us, we sorely miss those of our long-term members who, for various reasons, don’t participate electronically.

Please Join Us on April 2nd for a Dynamic Panel Discussion!

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Saturday, April 2, 2022
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom

Ever wonder what it’s really like to undergo Deep Brain Stimulation?
Have questions about patients’ pre-op and operating room experiences?
Want to know whether actual patients are pleased with their results?
Wish you could talk to someone who’s actually experienced DBS?

This is your golden opportunity to do just that!

We’ll start with
An Overview of Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery
..how it works and how the surgical procedure is performed
presented by Neurosurgeon Dr. Patrick Senatus
Medical Director of the DBS Program
at Hartford Healthcare’s Ayer Neuroscience Institute

~followed by~

A panel of 8 of our group members who’ve undergone DBS
They will discuss their journey and respond to your questions!

~and~

We’ll end with a brief presentation and update
on a cutting-edge Yale research study using PET imaging
to investigate brain changes in ET with a new biomarker
presented by Dr. Sheida Koohsari, Yale PET Center
Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging
Yale University School of Medicine

Dr. Patrick Senatus is Medical Director of the Deep Brain Stimulation Clinic at Hartford Healthcare’s Ayer Neuroscience Institute, as well as Owner of a New York City Practice Altus Neurosurgery & Spine, LLC. Prior to these positions, he was a neurosurgeon for Eastern Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and in the Neurosurgery Department of the UCONN Medical Group.

Dr. Senatus received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biochemical Sciences (Magna Cum Laude) from Harvard College, a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Neurobiology from Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and a Doctor of Medicine Degree from Harvard Medical School.

In addition to numerous awards and honors, his past academic appointments include Chief of Neurosurgery at Eastern Connecticut Health Network, Assistant Clinical Professor at Yale New Haven Hospital, Graduate School Faculty at UCONN’s Department of Neuroscience, Assistant Professor of Surgery for the Division of Neurosurgery at UCONN Health Center, Director of Functional and Restorative Neurosurgery at UCONN Health Center’s Department of Surgery, Clinical Fellow in Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery at Cleveland Clinic Foundation Center for Neurological Restoration, and Chief Resident in Neurological Surgery at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center.

Inquiries are invited!
Registration is required no later than noon on Wednesday, March 30th!

To register or request information, email Helen Moser or submit the form below.

The CT essential tremor support group is sponsored by

IETF logo tagline 10162012

Mark Your Calendar for our April meeting!

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Our next Essential Tremor Support Group meeting is scheduled for 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 2nd. As much as we’d love to meet in person, we’ll continue to monitor the situation closely and will likely meet via Zoom. Our speaker and topic will be announced shortly… but we do hope you’ll save the date and plan to join us!

Join Us for Our February 5th Meeting!

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Saturday, February 5, 2022
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom

An Update on Sage-324 (an ET-specific drug in the pipeline)
presented by Dr. Jim Fratantonio
Medical Director in Medical Affairs, Sage Therapeutics

~and~

March is Essential Tremor Month! ..Spreading ET Awareness
presented by Tammy Dodderidge,
Marketing & Communications Manager,
International Essential Tremor Foundation

Sage Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing novel therapies with the potential to transform the lives of people with debilitating disorders of the brain. Pursuing new pathways with the goal of improving brain health, their depression, neurology and neuropsychiatry franchise programs aim to change how brain disorders are thought about and treated. The Sage mission is to make medicines that matter so people can get better, sooner.

Dr. Jim Fratantonio, Sage Therapeutics Medical Director in Medical Affairs, will update us on Sage-324, a drug in the Sage pipeline that is now at Phase 2 of development. Sage-324 is intended specifically for Essential Tremor, Epileptiform Disorders, and Parkinson’s Disease.

Dr. Fratantonio attended the University of Rhode Island, where he received his doctorate in Pharmacy. He has spent the last six years supporting Medical Affairs organizations in mental health and essential tremor. As a Medical Director in Medical Affairs, some of his responsibilities include providing strategic leadership, conducting scientific training, and engaging in scientific exchange with external experts. His primary goals are to improve access and education to medications to support patient centered medical treatment.

~then~

March is Essential Tremor Awareness Month! We in the ET Community are often frustrated by the lack of awareness of our condition. In spite of the fact that essential tremor is the most common movement disorder and affects 10 million people of all ages in the U.S. alone, the general public – and, sadly, too many medical professionals – have never heard of it! Although ET is 8 times more prevalent than Parkinson’s, we’re sorely missing a celebrity spokesperson ala Michael J. Fox. So how can we, as individuals, help to spread awareness in the comfort of our own home?

Tammy Dodderidge, the International Essential Tremor Foundation’s Marketing & Communications Director, will discuss the many materials IETF can provide. Tammy will also teach us how we can use the IETF’s posters, digital images, emails and social media posts to spread awareness throughout the month of March (and indeed throughout the year).

Tammy earned a BS in Journalism and a Master of Science in Journalism and Integrated Marketing Communications, both from the University of Kansas. A Communications professional and tactical planner, she has 15+ years’ experience developing and leading communications initiatives for corporations and nonprofit organizations.

Inquiries are invited!
Registration is required no later than noon on Wednesday, February 2nd!

To register or request information, email Helen Moser or submit the form below.

The CT essential tremor support group is sponsored by

IETF logo tagline 10162012

March is Essential Tremor Month!

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In December 2010, the United States House of Representatives formally passed House Resolution (H.RES.) 1264 officially designating March as National Essential Tremor Awareness Month. This resolution was cosponsored by a bipartisan group of 56 Representatives.

This year, Governor Ned Lamont recognized the impact of Essential Tremor and the work of the International Essential Tremor Foundation by honoring my request and officially proclaiming March 2022 as Essential Tremor Awareness Month in the State of Connecticut:

Essential Tremor Awareness Month - Mar 2022 _v4

Schedule February 5th in Your Calendar!

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The next regularly scheduled CT Essential Tremor Support Group meeting is set for 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 5th. Our speakers will be researchers from a biopharmaceutical company that’s committed to developing novel therapies that have the potential to transform the lives of people with debilitating disorders of the brain. Plan to join us as we learn about the status of an ET-specific drug they currently have under development. Details will be announced soon.

Join Us on December 4th for Two Exciting Presentations via Zoom!

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Saturday, December 4, 2021
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom

Understanding Essential Voice Tremor (EVT)
and the Benefits of Speech Therapy
presented by Sylvia Fisher,
Speech-Language Pathology Director, Hartford Healthcare Rehabilitation Network
~and~
The Readi-Steadi® Orthotic Glove System for Hand Tremor
presented by its Inventor Krista Madere,
Licensed Occupational Therapist and Certified Hand Therapist

Being able to communicate effectively is one of the most important life skills. Essential tremor can result in involuntary movements that impact the larynx, vocal folds and throat causing the voice to tremble. This presentation will review the symptoms of vocal tremor and how speech therapy can help you regain control of your voice.

Sylvia Fisher is the Speech-Language Pathology Program Director for the Hartford Healthcare Rehabilitation Network. She received her master’s degree in Communication Disorders from Southern Connecticut State University and has worked with adults across all levels of rehabilitative care for more than 20 years.

Sylvia has vast experience working with individuals affected by neurological conditions resulting in communication and swallowing disorders. Her passion for innovative and best practice has led to standardized programs for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease such as SPEAKOUT!, respiratory muscle training, surface electromyography and biofeedback systems, as well as other exercise-based rehabilitative programs to treat speech, voice and swallowing disorders.

Sylvia serves on the Connecticut Speech and Hearing Association Medical Speech Pathology Committee and is a member of the American Hearing and Speech Association.

~then~

Krista Madere, LOTC, CHT will discuss her patented Ready-Steadi® Orthotic Glove System, the only assistive device for hand tremor currently covered by most insurance companies (including Medicare and the VA). Krista states “At the completion of this presentation, attendees will…understand the basic anatomy of overactive muscles commonly observed in patients with tremor disorders. Finally, they will understand the rationale of how fine motor and hand control is effectively restored as a result of this device.

Krista has worked in various in-patient and out-patient settings over the past 20 years managing the treatment of adults diagnosed with various orthopedic and neurological disorders. As a certified hand therapist, she has advanced knowledge and experience primarily of the elbow, wrist, and hand.

In response to a need – and after watching her patients and grandfather suffer – Krista invented and patented the Readi-Steadi® Orthotic Glove System in 2015. Each unique system is custom fabricated for the individual and is based on proven neurological principles. She is honored to collaborate care with movement disorder specialists and therapists throughout the country and remains dedicated to each individual fitted so they achieve maximum functional benefit.

Inquiries are invited!
Registration is required no later than noon on Wednesday, December 1st!

To register or request information, email Helen Moser or submit the form below.

The CT essential tremor support group is sponsored by

IETF logo tagline 10162012