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Register Today for South Jersey’s First NJ Walks for TS Event on Sept. 20

5k walk and family fun run in Medford Lakes will benefit NJ Center for Tourette Syndrome

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The NJ Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders (NJCTS) is expanding its successful NJ Walks for TS program to include South Jersey. Registration is now open for individuals and teams to join NJ Walks for TS in Medford Lakes on September 20th.

NJ Walks events in North and Central Jersey draw hundreds of children and adults as a show of support to their loved ones living with TS—an inherited neurological disorder characterized by uncontrollable movements or sounds known as tics. People with TS frequently have associated mental health and learning disabilities including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  As many as 1 in 100 people have symptoms of TS, yet the disorder is often misunderstood.

All funds raised by NJ Walks for TS will benefit the NJCTS Education Outreach Program which delivers professional trainings to educators and healthcare providers, anti-bullying and youth leadership training as well as college scholarships for high school students diagnosed with TS.

The annual 5K walk and family fun run has taken place in Mendham since 2010 and in Princeton/West Windsor since 2014. NJ Walks is designed by kids, for kids and is presented in Medford Lakes by the Heicklen family. Known as a day of  “advocacy and self empowerment” on behalf of the 20,000 school-aged children living with Tourette Syndrome in New Jersey, the September 20th walk is part of NJCTS’s commitment to serving families and professionals in the region.

“We are pleased to bring this exciting event to Burlington County,” said NJCTS Executive Director Faith W. Rice, “Over the past decade, our outreach to schools, hospitals, and community organizations in South Jersey is making a difference in the quality of life for the TS community and has the potential to help children who have yet to be diagnosed and improve services to the children and families living with TS.”

“Since its inception, NJ Walks for TS has drawn support from state and federal legislators, sponsors, and the hundreds who attend to make the day a celebration of what makes us unique,” said Rice. “The focus here is that what makes us different makes us stronger—everyone has fun when we stand up for advocacy, awareness, and empowerment.”

Registration is $22.50 per person until September 1, when the price increases to $25 per person. To register, or to make a donation, visit www.njcts.org.

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