Exquisite Warriors: Deluxe Edition
Parkinson’s Disease (PD), typically thought of as a disease of old men, is the fastest growing neurological disease in the world. There is no cure. It affects the nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine. Symptoms include muscle rigidity, tremor, changes in speech, cognitive issues, gait and balance problems — plus a long list of painful, debilitating symptoms. It is a long, slow descent into profound disability. It is a disease that I am all too familiar with after watching my mother suffer for 20 years before my own diagnosis in 2019. […continues below]
Exquisite Warriors celebrates 26 women battling this unrelenting disease with grace and dignity. This limited-edition artist book is an “exquisite corpse” structure — an interactive children’s book that was once a Surrealist game where the pages are split into body parts. In turning the pages the viewer changes the visual sequence of the body, creating a variety of permutations of heads, torsos and legs. As if we could swap out our own body parts when they fail us.
Three different narratives flow on the text panels opposite the photos: FATE, FACT, FEAR. On the top panels, FATE: an abecedarian, or ABC book, of PD symptoms. Weaving through the middle panels, FACT, a narrative about my own battle from dark diagnosis to newfound hope, an action plan that brings optimism, and a community of friends and supporters. (Scroll down this page to read the entire text from the FACT panels.) And, FEAR, the bottom panels: a quotation from each warrior about their biggest fears as they face this disease.
In the end, this book is an empowering exploration of exquisite women. Facing the battle of our lives with strength, grace and dignity. 26 women fighting fate, facing facts, conquering fear.
All gross proceeds from the sale of this deluxe limited-edition artist book will be donated to organizations supporting women with Parkinson’s Disease. Thank you.
Click below to watch this 1-minute sneak peek of Exquisite Warriors.
Edition Specifications: Exquisite corpse structure. Spiral binding with case-style cover. Digital Prints. Domtar Lynx paper. 60 pages. 6.5 x 9.875 x 1 inches. Presented in a clamshell box. Signed and numbered. 2021. Limited Edition Artist Book. Deluxe Edition of 25.
Exquisite Warriors
Deluxe Fundraiser Edition
Limited Edition Artist Book
$500 (One Last Copy!)
Here are the three non-profit receiving funds raised by the Exquisite Warriors project. So far, over $15,000 to these three important organizations.
Twitchy Woman is a fantastic support for women with Parkinson’s. Being a disease usually thought of as for old men, this group was Sharon Krischer (one of the warriors in the book) started a blog and in-person support group in her LA neighborhood a few years ago and when the pandemic started she took it virtual and has attracted women from around the world for two to three Zoom talks per month on topics ranging from the effects of hormones on PD medications to the importance of exercise to makeup adaptations for tremoring hands. Sharon and her team have also created a mentoring program matching newly diagnosed women with mentors to guide them on this scary journey. The dynamic group used their $4,000 donation from our book sales to give 14 scholarships for women to attend the World Parkinson’s Congress in Barcelona in 2023. I gave a talk about the Exquisite Warriors book that can be viewed on the Twitchy Woman YouTube channel.
PWR! Parkinson Wellness Recovery – Founded in 2010 in Tucson, Arizona by Dr. Becky Farley, who developed PWR!Moves, which are Parkinson’s-specific exercises that help maintain and restore skills that deteriorate and interfere with everyday movements.
PWR! provides access to cutting-edge Parkinson’s disease-specific exercise programs, both direct to patients in gyms and online, and also by certifying therapists and trainers worldwide. Exquisite Warriors first edition funds provided gym memberships to disadvantaged women plus gave grants to therapists in Africa. Learn more about PWR!Gym, PWR!Moves and more at: pwr4life.org
Parkinson’s Africa was founded by Omotola Thomas, also a warrior in the book, to help PD patients in her native Nigeria. Parkinson’s Africa is “a Parkinson’s disease patient advocacy organisation dedicated to supporting and empowering Africans impacted by Parkinson’s disease.” Omotola is a remarkable voice and a fierce advocate from her current home in the UK. They used the $4,000 donation to sent staff members to 2023 World Parkinson’s Congress in Barcelona.
There are heartbreaking stories that across Africa, Parkinson’s is often thought to be witchcraft, or a curse, with stigma and shame so bad that people are abandoned by their families. On top of that, our “gold standard” cheap and easy drug that has been around for over 50 years here in the US, is very difficult to obtain in Africa.
Omatola tells us, “We at Parkinson’s Africa truly appreciate the donation made by the Exquisite Warriors to our organisation. Through this generous donation to Parkinson’s Africa, two women impacted by Parkinson’s disease in Africa were sponsored to attend the WPC event in Barcelona, Spain. Attending the event was impactful for these women as it helped them to understand that they are not alone in the fight against Parkinson’s.”
It will be exciting to see what Omatola and her team accomplish. Learn more about Parkinson’s Africa here.