By NJCTS
West Windsor, N.J.- On a bright and crisp afternoon, 200 kids and adults walked for a better future for their friends and family with Tourette Syndrome- and for those they haven’t even met. The debut of NJ Walks for TS at Princeton took place at Mercer County Park. It’s an offshoot of the highly successful NJ Walks for TS at Mendham which started in 2010 in North Jersey to support the programs and services of the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders (NJCTS).
Sunday, April 6th, was Central and South Jersey’s turn to step out in support of the 1 in 100 children affected by Tourette Syndrome (TS), an inherited, misunderstood, misdiagnosed neurological disorder.
What’s remarkable is that this event was coordinated, in large part, by 14-year-old Tess Kowalski of Plainsboro who has been an NJCTS Youth Advocate since 2011. She along with her sister Paige, mom Leslie and father Tim organized and conducted the inception of the Princeton-area walk and activities for the day.
"We are grateful to the Kowalski family from Plainsboro for leading the effort to expand awareness and support for the 1 in 100 kids who show signs of Tourette Syndrome." said NJCTS Executive Director Faith W. Rice. " Sunday’s NJ Walks for TS at Princeton will become an annual event to spread awareness and raise funds for the NJCTS Children’s Scholarship program which since 2004 has awarded more than 200 scholarships to graduating New Jersey high school seniors to further their education”
Assemblywoman Donna Simon (R-16) and Assemblyman Daniel Benson (D-14) were in attendance along with groups of walkers from across the state- including Cherry Hill and points south.
NJ Walks for TS at Princeton exists to promote awareness, acceptance, action and advocacy of Tourette Syndrome and its associated disorders at a day of fun and empowerment for kids, by kids and about kids. For more information about the Tourette Syndrome or the programs and services offered by NJCTS, please visit www.njcts.org or call 908-575-7350.
