Inspired by her father's interaction with her children, Rasheda Ali wrote this book to address most commonly asked questions from children who may not understand why their loved ones with Parkinson's disease behave in certain ways. Written for adults to read to children, the book encourages dialogue through the use of colorful illustrations, situations depicting symptoms, and interactive questions. Medical facts are provided at the end of each page to help readers answer children's questions with greater ease and specific terms are explained in the margin on each page.What makes this book different from other books on Parkinson's disease is that as a tool to enable children to understand what is wrong with their loved one with PD, there is nothing in the marketplace quite like it. Te book will very likely become 'the' children's resource for information on Parkinson's disease.I'll Hold Your Hand So You Won't Fall: A Child's Guide to Parkinson's Diseaseis essential reading for children and families/caregivers with children that have relatives or loved ones suffering from Parkinson's
Rasheda Ali, author of "I’ll Hold Your Hand So You Won’t Fall: A Child’s Guide to Parkinson’s Disease," is a tireless caregiver advocate on behalf of families who are fighting Parkinson's Disease. This debilitating condition afflicts her father, the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, former three-time World Heavyweight Champion.
Rasheda was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and grew up with her twin sister Jamillah, younger brother Muhammad Ali Jr. and older sister Maryum in Flossmoor, Illinois. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Advertising from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and has worked in the television & film industry as an actor, as well as behind-the-scenes.
Rasheda has appeared on behalf of Parkinson's disease in print media such as The St. Petersburg Times, Baylife-Tampa Tribune, and Tampa & State as well as on such television shows as ABC Action News, and Bay News 9 in Tampa, FL. Rasheda is a strong advocate for Parkinson's research and caregivers. She served as Honorary Chairperson on behalf of the Florida Coalition to Cure Parkinson's Disease in 2002 and 2003 and is involved with leading Parkinson's Disease organizations.
As the wife of Chef Bob Walsh and mother of two small children, Biaggio and Nico, Rasheda is currently an actor on stage, television and film. She is also writing a one-woman play about her life. Over time, she would like to write and direct for television.
