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!
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
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:
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.
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
Saturday, October 2, 2021
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Diagnosis and Management of Essential Tremor:
The Method to the Madness!
presented by Movement Disorders Specialist Dr. Benjamin Dorfman
You won’t want to miss this presentation and discussion of how a movement disorders specialist determines that a patient has essential tremor vs other related issues, and how a course of treatment is determined!
Dr. Benjamin Dorfman is a board-certified movement disorders specialist at the Chase Family Movement Disorders Center, part of Hartford HealthCare. His areas of interest include Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, deep brain stimulation, dystonia, facial spasm, spasticity, botulinum toxin injections, restless legs syndrome, gait disorders, myoclonus, tardive dyskinesia, and tics.
Dr. Dorfman received his medical degree from the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark, New Jersey, followed by neurology residency at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, New York and a movement disorders fellowship at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in Manhattan, New York. He has authored numerous publications on movement disorders and has a special interest in education.
A member of the American Academy of Neurology and the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society, Dr. Dorfman lives in West Hartford, Connecticut with his wife and two children.
Inquiries are invited!
Registration is required no later than noon on Wednesday, September 29th!
To register or request information, email Helen Moser or submit the form below.
The CT essential tremor support group is sponsored by
Our next Essential Tremor Support Group meeting is scheduled for 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 2nd. We’re hoping to finally meet in person again, but given the Delta variant, will monitor the situation closely. The speaker and topic will be announced shortly. We do hope you’ll save the date and plan to join us!
Saturday, August 7, 2021
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Medications for Essential Tremor
presented by Movement Disorders Specialist Sulada Kanchana, M.D., Ph.D.
At this virtual meeting, Dr. Kanchana will review and discuss treatment options for the medical management of Essential Tremor.
Su Kanchana, M.D., Ph.D., a movement disorders specialist, is Director of Program Expansion & Outreach for Hartford HealthCare’s Chase Family Movement Disorder Center. She has special interests in Parkinson’s disease, Tremors, Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), and Botulinum toxin therapy.
Before joining Hartford HealthCare, Dr. Kanchana was Co-Director of the Movement Disorders Program at SUNY Update Medical Center, Director of the Deep Brain Stimulation Program at Northwell Health in Long Island, Director of the Movement Disorders Program at Reading Hospital and Medical Center, and Co-Director of the Movement Disorders Program at Lehigh Neurology in Allentown, PA. While a member of the Movement and Inherited Neurological Disorders at the University of Rochester Medical Center, she was the founder and advisor of the Twin Tiers Parkinson Group in Big Flats, NY.
Dr. Kanchana earned Masters and Doctoral Degrees in biology and a Doctoral of Medicine at Wayne State University and School of Medicine. She completed a neurology residency at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a fellowship in movement disorders at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes, National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Inquiries are invited!
Registration is required no later than noon on Wednesday, August 4th!
To register or request information, email Helen Moser or submit the form below.
The CT essential tremor support group is sponsored by
Save the date for our next Essential Tremor Support Group meeting which is scheduled for Saturday, August 7th, from 1:00-3:00 p.m. via Zoom. Our speaker and topic will be announced shortly; and we do hope you’ll plan to join us!
Saturday, June 5, 2021
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via Zoom
Neuropsychological Features of Essential Tremor
presented by Neuropsychologist Michelle Bobulinski Ph.D.
Over the past decade, there has been increasing evidence that Essential Tremor is associated with various non-motor clinical manifestations, including cognitive symptoms and neuropsychiatric symptoms or disorders, particularly involving depressed mood and anxiety. The reported prevalence estimates of neuropsychological symptoms varies, to some degree, in available literature, but overall it is suggested that mild-moderate cognitive deficits may be observed in approximately 50% of individuals diagnosed with ET. Research also demonstrates anxiety and depression are both more common in ET patients compared to normal controls. Individuals with ET report significant decline in the independent performance of both routine physical (e.g. self-care) and more complex activities of daily living, which may be a function of both motor and non-motor symptoms.
At this virtual meeting, Dr. Bobulinski will discuss the neuropsychological symptoms of ET and the importance of monitoring them as part of the clinical course.
Michelle Bobulinski, Ph.D., earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology at Bucknell University. After receiving graduate degrees at the University of Denver in Clinical/Counseling Psychology and at New York University in Psychology, Dr. Bobulinski completed an Internship in Clinical Psychology with a Specialty in Neuropsychology at the University of Kansas School of Medicine and a Fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology at Yale University School of Medicine.
Currently working with Hartford HealthCare’s Ayer Neuroscience Institute, Dr. Bobulinski’s areas of interest include Neuropsychology, Movement Disorders, Neurologic and Neurodegenerative Disorders, Dementia, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Cognition/Neurocognitive Changes, Cognitive Assessment, Deep Brain Stimulation, and Behavioral Health.
A Licensed Psychologist in both CT and NY, she is a member of the National Academy of Neuropsychology, the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, the New York Neuropsychology Group, the Connecticut Neuropsychology Society, and is a Research Associate Member of the American Academy of Neurology.
Inquiries are invited!
Registration is required no later than noon on Wednesday, June 2nd!
To register or request information, email Helen Moser or submit the form below.
The CT essential tremor support group is sponsored by
CT Essential Tremor Support Group 