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�Amazing from beginning to end, ecstatic, fantabulous- no exaggerations! It�was the first time that I made such an event, and the organizational aspects�came out better than I ever thought they would. The Ribbono Shel Olam�was in charge, so it was gevaldig!� This was how Rabbi Moshe Yakov�Gruskin, founder of Sparks of Life, the Jewish organization for those�suffering from Parkinson�s Disease, described the organization�s�representation the Fourth World Parkinson�s Congress, which took place in�Portland, Oregon from September 20 through September 23.

Parkinson�s is an extremely complex progressive disorder of the nervous�system that affects movement. Early symptoms may typically include a�barely noticeable tremor in one hand, but the disease progresses to include�stiffness, slowing of movement, slurred speech, and more. Symptoms may�gradually progress over decades, with no two progressions being exactly�the same. There is no known cure for Parkinson�s, although medications�may slow the progression of the disease.

Rabbi Gruskin, who works as a tireless fundraiser for a Lakewood yeshivah,�was himself diagnosed with Parkinson�s in 2009. However, instead of�allowing the diagnosis to slow him down, Rabbi Gruskin was spurred on to�do whatever he could to help his fellow Yidden who are also suffering from�the disease.

Last year, while in a doctor�s office, he noticed an advertisement for the�third World Parkinson�s Congress (WPC), to be held in Montreal, and�decided to attend together with his son. �I went to the conference, and was�blown away by the information, support, and camaraderie that was offered�there. They exude a very positive attitude; their main motto is �Learn to live�life to the fullest.� The only problem was, there were only three frum people�there out of 3700- myself, my son, and one other frum lady from Teaneck.�

About six months ago, Rabbi Gruskin founded Sparks of Life, an�organization dedicated to bettering the lives of Jewish Parkinson�s patients�by providing an array of emotional, medical, and educational resources. The�goal of these services is to enable those suffering from the disease to live�fuller and healthier lives, to enhance their care, and to empower them to�make positive choices.

�I saw that no one was doing anything like this � so b�makom she-ein ish,��recalls Rabbi Gruskin. �I am the first such organization in the world, to my�knowledge. � Rabbi Gruskin hopes to create a full service organization with�complete support, education, advocacy, financial assistance, a library, a�gym with on site therapists, and more. Many of his ideas were culled from�seminars at the convention.

Sparks of Life held their first support meeting in Lakewood at the end of�June 2016. �We had no idea how many people would come; some told us it�was a pipe dream. Parkinson�s is very complex, and the cure is only in the�hands of the Aibershter. Many of those who suffer are afraid of the stigma�and shame. However, 100 people showed up and we were astounded.�There is obviously a great need for this.�

When the time for this year�s WPC came around, Rabbi Gruskin decided to�try to organize a frum contingency to attend. He knew how much he had�gained from attending last year, and wanted to give others the chance to�attend as well. With the support of the organizers of the WPC, Rabbi�Gruskin was able to arrange for a separate area dedicated for the use of the�frum attendees, kosher food, and minyanim. The set up allowed the frum�attendees to benefit from all the conference has to offer, while having their�unique needs accommodated. Perhaps most of all, the set up provided the�frum attendees a chance to interact with each other, realize that they are�not alone, and ultimately forge relationships with each other and emerge�feeling as one, big, happy family.

Mrs. D., whose father suffers from Parkinsons, attended the convention together with her parents and her sister. �When we first�heard about the convention, we thought it would be depressing, but it was just the opposite. The atmosphere was very positive, and�the convention was extremely informative. It was very good for my mother, who is the primary caregiver for my father. �

�What Sparks of Life has done for the the frum people is amazing,� Mrs. D. continued. �There were three kosher meals a day,�minyanim, and a dedicated room for us which was open all day, which served as an oasis for us in the midst of thousands of people.�We made connections, shmuzed with each other, and shared information; there was something so special about it. The Gruskins�acted with such heart and ravchus- it was just amazing.�