Authors spread awareness of essential tremor during Wine and Sign

April 24, 2016

By Amanda King  Contributor 

Staff photo by Amanda King Diann Shaddox displays her novels at Saturday’s Wine and Sign at the Aiken Center for the Arts. Shaddox suffers from essential tremor.

Diann Shaddox vividly remembers sitting down to write her first novel: hands on the keyboard, ready to write, when suddenly, her hands began to involuntarily shake. Frustrated, she walked away from her desk.

Shaddox is one of 10 million people living with essential tremor, a neurological condition that causes trembling in the hands, head, voice and legs. The condition affects people of all ages, including newborns. While the condition is similar to Parkinson’s disease, it is not the same and therefore not as widely known or funded.

“It’s a big issue that we need to get out there,” Shaddox said.

Two years ago, Shaddox and her husband, Randy Miles, set out to make a difference. The couple formed the Diann Shaddox Foundation for Essential Tremor to raise awareness and money for research.

On Saturday, the foundation partnered with the Aiken Center for the Arts to host Wine and Sign, an event featuring 36 authors from all over the country and from various genres. The authors signed books and talk to readers from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.It’s a great cause, and there are not many chances to support causes with events like this,” author Tom Poland said. Poland is the author of several books including his most recent, “Georgialina: A Southland as We Knew It,” which is set in Aiken.

Staff photo by Amanda King Darlene Stokes greets guests for Wine and Sign in 1860s attire.

 Staff photo by Amanda King The Diann Shaddox foundation for Essential Tremor raffled off this gift basket worth more than $1,000 at the Wine and Sign.

The public was able to attend the event for free and purchase food, wine and craft beer. Raffle tickets also were available for a gift basket worth more than $1,000.

Several local businesses assisted with the event including La Dolcé, Bojangles’, Jolene Norris and others. The NJROTC of Midland Valley High School also assisted with the setup of the event.

“The people of Aiken have been very generous,” Shaddox said.

The day ended with a ticketed event to see actor and recording artist Brad Carter. Carter, who has appeared in television shows including “Sons of Anarchy” and “True Detective” and the recent film, “Black Mass,” also lives with essential tremor.

Due to the impact of the disease on his career, Carter chose to undergo deep brain stimulation surgery where surgeons drill through a patient’s skull and probe to find the area of the brain that causes the tremor. Carter now wears a device that can control the tremors and allow him to perform.

Although various treatments like this are currently available, Shaddox is determined to help with the continued research for the disorder, as well as provide assistance for people who may lose employment due to essential tremor.

Shaddox’s dreams are set high for the foundation. She hopes to host Wine and Sign events in Napa Valley and Atlanta and would like to spread the word about essential tremor on a national news outlet such as the “Today” show.

That dream should be easy to accomplish for a woman who, after stepping away from her first book due to her condition for just a few moments, went on to pen four books in less than three years.

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