I am saddened today to hear of the death of cartoonist Richard Thompson, who succumbed to Parkinson's after a long struggle. Here's an article I wrote about him and efforts to help him back in 2011. Originally published at Tonic.com.
Comic-Strip
Fans Team Up to Fight Parkinson's Disease
When
cartoonist Richard Thompson announced he had Parkinson's disease, one fan stood
up to help make a difference.
Even though
it is just a few years old, the comic strip Cul
de Sac has already earned a legion of die-hard fans through its chaotic
energy and vibrant characters. So when cartoonist Richard Thompson announced
that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, a brain disorder that can
lead to tremors and more extreme physical coordination problems, his fans sat
up and took notice.
One of those
fans was Chris Sparks, a graphic designer and web developer in Asheville, N.C.,
who had met Thompson at a comic-book convention in 2008. The two became
friends, and Sparks was building a website for Thompson when the artist
announced his diagnosis.
"I
started reading more about Parkinson's," says Sparks. His reading included
books by Michael J. Fox, perhaps the world's most famous person with
Parkinson's. "I was really touched," he says. Sparks visited the
Michael J. Fox Foundation website and saw that people could form public
fundraising teams to raise money for Parkinson's research. He quickly decided
to form his own team: Team Cul de Sac.
But Sparks
decided to take a different path than most "Team Fox" fundraisers. He
has reached out to dozens of cartoonists around the world, who will be
submitting artwork inspired by the Cul de
Sac strip for inclusion in a book which Thompson's publisher, Andrews
McMeel, has agreed to release next year. Some of the proceeds from the book
will go to the foundation, but after the book is released, the artwork will
also be auctioned off, with all proceeds going to Fox Foundation. The ultimate
goal is to raise $250,000 for the foundation.
"We've
already had around 60 people say they're interested in contributing," says
Sparks. "Cartoonists, fine artists, anyone who wants to contribute is
great. My goal is to get as many as possible."
One
cartoonist who has already turned in his contribution is Alaska's Peter
Dunlap-Shohl, who also has Parkinson's. "It always brightens my day when I
get an email from someone who has Parkinson's who is touched that we are doing
this different thing with a sense of humor," says Sparks.
Although
many people with Parkinson's are private about their conditions, Thompson is
not one of them. He's happy to put his support behind the project. "Parkinson's
was described to me as a disease that first robs you of your dignity. So it's
fitting to combat a slapstick disease with cartoons," he says.
The Team Cul
de Sac fundraising page has full information on how artists can contribute to
the project, as well as how others can donate toward their fundraising goal.
"I
think we can make a difference," says Sparks, who points out that his love
of comics inspired him. "I've been reading comics since I was five years
old, and most of the cartoonists I've met have been wonderful human
beings," he says. "They've made a difference in my life, and I hope
to make a difference as well."
Image originally courtesy of Richard Thompson.
