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ArtsCultureMusic22TuesdayFebruary112014HealthWellnessTouretteSyndromeByMARIACHURCHIttookyearsoffrustrationconfusionandmisdiagnosisforKimBennettstwosonstonallybediagnosedwithTouretteSyndrome.CaydynandKaiBennett10and8years-oldrespec-tivelybothhavetheneuro-logicaldisorderthatschar-acterizedbyticsatermforrapidsuddenmovementsorvocalizationsthatareinvol-untarilyrepeated.ItishardBennettaFortSmithlocalsharedabouthersonsdisorders.Theybothhaveitbuttheyarecompletelydifferent.Onecouldbedoingreallywellonemonthandthenthenextmonththeycouldnotbe.FortheboysdealingwithTourettesymptomschallengestheirabilitytofocus.Simpletaskslikedrawingreadingabookorevenhavingaconver-sationbecomeaneffortwhentheylosecontroloftheirmotorskills.LyndaThickettacare-takerwiththeNWTDis-abilitiesCouncilworkswithCaydynandKaiafterschool.ShedescribedFortSmithmomlaunchesrstNWTTrekforTourettewatchingCaydynstrug-gletoreadabookwhenshewenttopickhimupatschoollastweek.Iwasabout10minutesearlysoIwasjustwatchinghimandhewasreading.Itwassohardforhimbecausebothhishandsweretwitch-ingandhisheadwasmov-ing.IthoughthowcanhefocusonthatbookEducationparamountTodateresearchershavefoundnocauseorcureforTourettes.Arecentesti-matefromtheTouretteSyn-dromeFoundationofCan-adaTSFCsuggeststhatasmanyasonein100peoplesufferfromsomedegreeofTourettes.Mostofthoseareundiagnosed.Whilethereismedicationavailableandsomesuccessinphysiotherapytoreducethesymptomsofthedisor-derfordiagnosedyouthlikeCaydynandKaithemostimportantthingiseducatingthecommunityparticularlyotheryouthBennettsaid.Themovementsandtheticstheycanbeveryno-ticeableandinaclassroomwhereachildissittingbyachildwithTourettestheywillsayCanyoustopmov-ingaroundYouredrivingmenutsbuttheycant.Thestressofthatstudentgettingangrywiththemmakesitworseshesaid.Bennettsaidgettingthemessageoutisherbestmethodofhelpingherboysadjustinschool.TrekforTouretteinMarchTheTSFCorganizesanannualnationalfundraisertheTrekforTourettetoraiseawarenessandmoneyforthefoundationsresearch.TheNWTwillbepartici-patingforthersttimethisyearthankstoeffortsfromBennettandThicketttoorga-nizethewalkinFortSmith.BennettsaidtheyarestilllookingformanyvolunteersandparticipantsforthewalkwhichwillbeheldattheFortSmithrecreationcentreonMar.30.Participantsareencour-agedtoformteamsandchooseaname.TheBen-nett-Thicketgrouparecall-ingthemselvesTeamAngryBirdschosenbytheboys.Providingtheweatherisnotdangerouslycoldthetrekwillbeheldoutdoorstosimulatethechallengesandunpredict-abilityofTouretteSyndrome.FormoredetailsontheFortSmithfundraiserwalkvisittheFacebookpageFortSmithTrekforTouretteorcontactBennettat867621-0533.RegisterfortheTrekforTouretteonlineatwww.to-urette.caFromleftCaydynBennettKimBennettKaiBennettandLyndaThickettmakeupTeamAngryBirdsfortheTrekforTourette.ByMEAGANWOHLBERGOneofCanadasmostdecoratedandcelebratedchoirsismarkingits35thbirthdaybytouringcom-munitiesacrosstheNorth-westTerritoriesthismonthstartinginYellowknifeandreachingouttofolksinHayRiverFortSmithandFortSimpson.PromotedbytheNorth-ernArtsandCulturalCen-treNACCtheElmerIs-elerSingerswillarriveinYellowknifeonFeb.13ontheirgroundtourofWest-ernCanada.NorthernmusicloversgracedwithmajorchoirgigElmerIselerSingerstocelebrate35thbirthdayintheNWTNACCdirectorMarieCoderresaiditisrarefortheNorthtobegivenaccesstosuchagrandiosescaleofchoralperformanceandhopesthesmallcommuni-tieswhoalsogetachancetoexperienceitwilltakeadvantage.Theyhave500yearsofrepertoire.ItsoneofthemostdecoratedandhonouredchoirsinallofCanadaCoderresaid.Reallyalltheeffortputintothisprojectwillreallyinspire.ItsgoingtobepivotaltothedevelopmentoftheperformingartsintheNorthwestTerrito-riessinceitsprobablythebiggestcrewthatwillbetouringinthesmallercommunities.Apartfromdeliver-ingtheirownscheduledperformancesthechoirwillbeperformingwithlocalmusiciansinthecommunities.YellowknifesopranoTheresaBairdwilljointhetourtoperformaspe-cialpiececomposedbyfellowYellowknifemusi-cianCarmenBraden.Thesingerswillalsobehost-ingaworkshopwiththelocalchoirinYellowknifebeforetheconcert.InFortSmiththecommu-nitychoirwillalsobehold-ingaworkshopwiththesing-ersbeforeitsperformanceattheSt.JosephCathedralonTuesdayFeb.18wherethechoirwillhaveachancetojointheElmerIselerSing-ersonstage.ItwasimportanttomethatwestopinFortSmithbecausethereisachoirthereanditsagroundtranspor-tationtourasopposedtonormallyweoftentourbyplaneCoderresaid.ItisoneofthersttimesinthelastseveralyearsthataNACCperformancehasmadeitswaytoFortSmithsoCoderrehopesthechurchispacked.Thischoirhassetstan-dardsforallchoirsinCan-adasotheyareabigshowcomingintotown.Imhop-ingthatthecommunitywillshowupbecauseitsnotgoingtohappenoftenCoderresaid.Itisaveryuniqueeventhappeninginthecommunities...Itsaprivilegetohavethemtouringwithusandtheyaresoexcitedaboutcominginthesmallercom-munities.Theyarereallyre-allyallaboutoutreach.TheElmerIselerSingerswillperformatNACCinYellowknifeonFeb.15atHayRiversRomanCatho-licChurchonFeb.17atSt.JosephCathedralinFortSmithonFeb.18andattheBompasElementarySchoolinFortSimpsononFeb.20.Concertticketsare25foradultsand15foryouthandseniors.PhotoMariaChurchPhotocourtesyoftheNACCTheElmerIselerSingersofTorontowillbeperforminginYellowknifeHayRiverFortSmithandFortSimpsonoverthenexttwoweeks.