Teen creates walk for Tourette Syndrome research

By Staff Writer

In support of Tourette Syndrome (TS) research, a teen spent her summer vacation preparing the Mendham Walks for TS, which is the first in the New Jersey Walks for TS series of awareness events.

Emily Carrara was busy making conference calls, as well as soliciting donations and support for the walk, while most of her peers were lounging poolside. The 17-year-old high school junior has called her community to action to bring positive awareness to the misunderstood disorder, with which her cousin was recently diagnosed. On Saturday, November 20, Carrara is leading the first New Jersey Walks for TS event.

Tourette Syndrome is an inherited neurological disorder, which is seen in as many as one in 100 children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The condition is characterized by uncontrollable motor or vocal movements known as tics, and is frequently accompanied by other disorders, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, learning disabilities, depression, anxiety and sleep problems.

Emily contacted the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome (NJCTS ) in July to announce her plans for a walk. According to Faith W. Rice, NJCTS executive director, it was a phone call that could not have come at a better time.