The 21st Annual Tee-Off for Tourette Charity Golf Tournament,  major fundraiser for the state of Texas, is Monday, November 2, 2015 at Willow Fork Country Club in Katy, TX  The tournament is a four person scramble with Best Ball and Contests.   Lunch is provided for participants prior to golfing and dinner follows.   Not a golfer?  Tickets are also available for the Evening Awards Dinner and Silent Auction only.  

Tourette's syndrome is a complex neurological disorder characterized by tics—involuntary, rapid, sudden movements and/or vocal out­bursts that occur repeatedly.  TS is often accompanied by obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention-decit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning problems, and other issues.  TS typically be­gins in childhood and can vary widely between individuals, with symptoms ranging from mild to disabling.  People with TS often find their own symptoms fluctuating in severity and frequency over the course of their lifetime.  Tics can sometimes be suppressed for periods of time, but this may cause discomfort and fatigue. 

Between two and three percent of the U.S. population may have TS. In Texas, the estimate is over one-half million people with Tourette’s syndrome.  TS is 3-4 times more common in males and incidence may be as high as 1 in 100 school age boys and 1 in 300-400 school age girls. All ethnic groups are similarly affected.  

The Tourette Syndrome Association of Texas supports the medical, educational, social and economic needs of those with Tourette’s syndrome to thus improve their quality of life.  Via education, counseling, support and socialization, our families learn real world skills and abilities. Approximately 90% of the people we serve are children with TS and their families.  Children with TS learn hands-on practical and social skills via our children’s camp, our support groups meetings and our many family events and activities.  Further, the skills and self-esteem they obtain reportedly have a positive long-term effect on their confidence in interactions in both educational and social settings.

TSA of Texas’s vital and unduplicated work includes:

Advocacy and Consulting:  Providing no-cost professional Consulting, TSA of Texas evaluates the “whole” child or adult to recommend and to assist in implementing appropriate medical diagnosis and management, educational needs and accommodations, social skills, career goals, and/or family interactions.  Additionally, we advocate with families, physicians, schools and legal entities to ensure the best interests of our clients are always served. 

Education and In-Service:  Accurate information about Tourette’s syndrome is disseminated to physicians, educators, parents and families and at events throughout the state, such as Health Fairs.  In-Service presentations for educators target school districts, universities, nurses, social workers, psychologists and physicians.   Educational and In-Service programs are presented by TSA of Texas throughout the year to medical, legal, educational and social work professionals, families with TS, and the wider community. These presentations are vital for educators, medical providers and families, especially as symptoms and needs change with the disorder and with the age of the person with TS. 

Medical Assistance Program:  Financially strapped, under-insured and non-insured individuals are funded for visits to experienced physicians for diagnosis and management of their T.S. symptoms. 

Support Groups:  Monthly meetings at our thirteen Support Groups around the state provide speakers, support, materials and social interaction for families, children and adults dealing with Tourette’s.

Camp du Ballon Rouge:  Since 2002, Camp dBR has hosted children and teens with Tourette’s syndrome to a free (the only free T.S. camp in the nation) three day camping weekend at Camp For All in Burton, TX.  For most, this camp is the only time they feel free of prejudice and worry about their symptoms.  More importantly, children return home with a new sense of self-worth and competence which then flows into their every-day life. Our 14th annual Camp dBR will be held in March of 2016.

Family Events and Activities:  TSA of Texas hosts across-the-state holiday parties, Summer/Back to School bashes, theatre events, Baseball game outings, a November “Museum Day” and more, all free of charge to our very often over-whelmed and under-funded families. 

... MUCH, MUCH MORE!

TSA of Texas works to improve and positively impact the lives of Texans with TS and their families, offering social activities and events for children, adults and siblings; educating the public and professionals for heightened awareness, sensitivity, and understanding of the disorder; providing professional “whole person” consulting; and advocating for an improved quality of life.

Your support will help us to continue our many programs of advocacy, counseling and education, as well as scholarships, support groups, family activities and the du Ballon Rouge TS camping weekend. 

Register Now!