"...Thank
you for your fine, intelligent, insightful letter -- I was delighted
to get it."
- Oliver Sacks, M.D.
"...What
a call God has placed on your life! So beautiful to see you moving
in it wholeheartedly. God's anointing is on you as you are speaking
for those who don't have a voice, as you are living fully! Because
you have chosen life, all our lives are richer & blessed! Thank
you!"
"I stumbled
on to your web site last night. I have just recently, vary recently
learned there was a name for my tics and things....I first leaned
about TS and a page for parent of the disabled. So my fist introduction
to all this was not vary positive. I wanted to thank you for putting
up that site and not only tell kids like me (Well I am not quite a
kid, I?m 19) that we are OK, but also giving some advice to deal with
it. thanks for showing more of the pros and not overstating the cons
of TS. When I found you site I got so happy and exited to see TS in
such a positive light and with a bit of humor. I sat there a bit and
just cried and ticed from joy. Thank you for making the next steps
on this journey a little less scary. Happy now, R."
"Feedback
we received from your presentation was the best we have ever heard....It
was more than doubled the audience we have ever had .... in the past....I
am looking forward to the day when I can say "I knew him when..".
"...You're
an amazing individual that has come so far with dealing with your own
Tourettes. You are someone that children with Tourettes can look
up to....You're also a great role model for all of us."
"...On
rare occasions we encounter someone who gives us a different perspective
and a deeper understanding of life. You have done that for me. Thank
you for sharing yourself with us....You made me laugh. You made me cry.
You touched my heart."
"...I can only
thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing yourself....Because
of you, I've learned to be more positive in reaching my goals as a psychologist,
accomplished artist, and writer. In the meantime, I'm learning to appreciate
who I really am (as opposed to hiding behind a mask), and not despite
of what comes along with the real me as a person, but in spite of the
qualities that make me, as you, and all of the other special people
in the world, positively unique!"
"...Your positive,
enthusiastic way of explaining [Tourette] to us will, I'm sure, have
an affect on many. You spoke well to the kids and certainly explained
things in a manner that they could understand..."
"...The in-service
was most informative and I KNOW it has already made a positive impact
on [this boy's] teachers....I felt that you were a dynamic
and energetic speaker with a great deal of empathy and credibility."
"...You really
do light up our lives! Your spirit of generousity is very moving.
Many Thanks from us all."
"...I know my
staff and I are so much wiser today because you shared your knowledge
with us."
"...Duncan,
I just discovered your 'writing' page had a second part today. You are
a brilliant writer. Some of it even borders on sheer poetry :-)....
You subjectively cover so many aspects of TS well ... I now know if
I ever need to explain to someone what it has felt like dealing with
Tics, TS, or OCD, or whatever one wants to label....I can show them
one of your articles."
"...we would
like to thank you for speaking at our meeting. It was a very successful
evening and you gave everyone there alot to take home..."
"...Thanks for showing us the 'upside' of things..."
"...Thank you so much for being the person you are."
"...if I hadn't gone to the conference I would have never heard
you talk and would not have known how to handle the situation with my
son in the sensitive, unashamed manner that I was able to. So I guess
I am saying Thank-you for just being you."
"...Your thoughts on education and work were excellent and very
much valued by my husband and myself. I don't think you have any
idea of how important what you are doing and the thoughts and feelings
that you are sharing are to we who watch and wonder if we're travelling
the right path or at least one that can make a difference for our son.
Again, Duncan, we are in your debt..."
"...Your fierce determination, countless hours of work and tremendous
sense of caring unites our Foundation, creating a force that spreads
knowledge and hope to those families and individuals living with Tourette
Syndrome."
"...You truly are an inspiration."
"...thank you for being you....We are really blessed to have you
and to know you..."
"...The best knowledge comes from those individuals, like yourself,
who have real, daily experiences..."
"The culmination of all your efforts will impact our communities
for many years to come..."
I
thank these, and all of the people who have supported me from the bottom
of my heart. Words cannot articulate the gratitude that I experience
with the arrival of each letter. I hope you all know the amount of strength
that you have so graciously given me. You are all truly extraordinary,
and I am lucky to have met each of you.
Dr. Dunc.
