Presiding Bishop Emeritus Charles E. Blake, Sr. stopped the rumormongers and gossipers in their tracks by announcing his diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease during the worship service of West Angeles Church of God in Christ on April 24.
More than 10 million people worldwide are living with Parkinson’s disease. In just the United States alone, combined costs of treatments are estimated to be nearly $25 billion a year, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation.
“On July 17, 1960, I was arrested, along with seven other college students, for advocating for the right to use a public library in my hometown of Greenville, S.C. I remember it like it was yesterday, for that day changed my life forever. From that experience, I lost my fear of being jailed for a righteous cause. I went on to meet Dr. King and dedicate my heart and soul to the fight for justice, equality, and equal access. In the tradition of the Apostle Paul, I have offered myself – my mind, body and soul – as a living