Initiative 1000, the ballot initiative that would allow terminally ill patients the choice to seek life-ending medication, officially qualified for the November ballot Thursday when Secretary of State Sam Reed’s office determined they had turned in more than the required 224,800 valid signatures from voters across the state.

“People all over Washington support death with dignity, and we’re building momentum daily. We’re going to go all the way,” said former governor Booth Gardner.

Gardner, who suffers from Parkinson’s Disease, has been the leading backer and a chief spokesman for the campaign so far.

Researchers offer hope for looking into new forms of treatment. A gene and protein which cause Parkinson’s disease are controlled by genetic mechanisms in blood cells, according to scientists.

They found that the activity of three genes, which control the major component of haemoglobin in the blood, precisely matched the activity of the alpha-synuclein gene, which is seen in elevated levels in Parkinson’s patients.

According to the researchers from the University of Wisconsin, Harvard University-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the University of Ottawa, their finding suggests that a common switch controls both and raises hope for therapies aimed (more…)

Estelle Getty, who played meddling mother Sophia on “The Golden Girls,” died Tuesday morning. She was 84.

Getty, who suffered from advanced dementia, died around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday at her Hollywood Boulevard home, said her son, Carl Gettleman of Santa Monica.

Getty won an Emmy Award in 1988 for her portrayal of the feisty octogenarian. For her role as Sophia, Getty also notched a Golden Globe Award in 1986. She also received an American Comedy Award.

Getty co-starred on “Golden Girls” from 1985-92 and reprised the tart-tongued Sophia on four other TV series: “The Golden Palace,” “Nurses,” “Empty Nest” and “Blossom.” Getty was two months younger than Arthur, but the illusion of her age was maintained through makeup, costume and her deportment.

In similar vein of take-no-prisoners elder, Getty played Sylvester Stallone’s domineering mother, Tutti Bomowski, in “Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot.” Generically, it was a battling-buddy (more…)

Living alone with Parkinson’s can be a difficult thing. I’m a strong believer that attitude makes the biggest difference. I have had many different experiences in my life that agree with that situation. I remember years ago when I hiked King’s Peak, Utah’s highest mountain, with my dad and cousin. The hike was a gruelling 26 miles, all in one day! By the time we got to the top a large storm was rolling in, so with 13 miles of rain I began to drag my feet and complain, but after a couple of hours of that I realized that it was futile, instead I began seeking out the muddy puddles (more…)