Tremor Gram – April 2026

We’re so Grateful for Our Volunteers!

April is National Volunteer Month. It celebrates the many selfless volunteers and the impact of service in our communities.

At the International Essential Tremor Foundation (IETF), we want to thank our many support group leader volunteers for their desire to help those in their communities who are affected by essential tremor (ET). Your impact is far-reaching as you give others a safe space to be themselves and feel accepted and understood.

See a list of all our ET Support Groups and leaders online. If you are interested in becoming a Support Group Leader you can read the position description and training guide on our website.

National Volunteer Month is celebrated each April. It originated from National Volunteer Week (established in 1974) and was expanded to a full month in 1990.

Shaky Quaky Jake ET Awareness Project

Our latest Talking Essential Tremor podcast “Shaky Quaky Jake ET Awareness Project” focuses on an essential tremor (ET) awareness project launched by an early childhood educator in Florida.

Amber Troutman has set a goal of providing copies of the children’s book, “Shaky Quaky Jake” to Head Start locations in 21 counties in the Florida and Georgia. Her initiative began as part of National Essential Tremor Awareness Month (NETA) in March.

Shaky Quaky Jake tells the story of a young boy named Jake who has essential tremor. It focuses on his experiences in the classroom and his struggle with being different. The book was written by Kelly D. Roberts and released in 2024.

“This project is raising awareness about kids who have essential tremor but also will help kids who may have family members who have it,” Amber said. “If there’s a parent or grandparent, or an educator like me, who has it, this book will help them to understand it better.”

Learn more, including how to get involved, through the podcast or by reading her story online.

Apply for a College Scholarship

The IETF is taking applications for college scholarships for the fall 2026 semester.

If you are a current or incoming college student who has been diagnosed with essential tremor, consider applying.

Up to 10 $7,500 scholarships will be awarded to qualified students through our Catherine Rice Scholarship Program. Scholarships lessen the burden of higher education and help students feel the support of the essential tremor community behind them as they aspire to reach their goals.

Scholarships can be used for supplies, books, or tuition at licensed, accredited institutions of higher education (including trade schools). Students working on their undergraduate, graduate and/or doctoral degrees may apply.

An application process must be completed to qualify. The application deadline is May 1, 2026. Applications and more details are available on the IETF website. Scholarship winners will be notified by July 15, 2026.

The Catherine Rice Scholarship Program is named to honor former executive director, Catherine S. Rice, who retired in September 2015, after 18 years of leadership to the IETF. One of Cathy’s passions at the IETF was to recognize the achievements of students dealing with essential tremor. To honor and help continue Cathy’s work with college students for years to come, the IETF Board of Directors named the IETF’s scholarship program in her honor.

Research Study Recruitment

Study of Familial Characteristics of ET with Identical Twins

Dr. Elan Louis and his team of tremor researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) are conducting a new study of familial characteristics of essential tremor (ET).

They need help from the ET community. If you have ET and have an identical (monozygotic) twin sister/brother with ET, please contact the UTSW researchers at the following email address: tremor@utsouthwestern.edu

Please include your contact information in your message (including your name, telephone, and mailing address) and the preferred way to contact you.

Both you and your identical twin sister/brother would be interested in answering questions about your tremor and provide us with a videotape performing daily tasks like using a spoon or drinking from a glass (instructions will be provided).

You and your sibling may live anywhere in the United States and still qualify to participate; all interviews will be conducted via phone and mail.

Physiologic Correlates of Vocal Tremor Affecting Those with Essential Tremor

Two Locations:

• University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
• Mass Eye & Ear, Boston, MA

Essential tremor is one of the most common movement disorders in the world. Approximately 30% of these individuals exhibit a vocal tremor, with the majority being female. This study will evaluate mechanisms of vocal tremor and their effects on communication, with the goal of advancing current and future treatments.

Eligible participants must have essential tremor and vocal tremor and be willing to travel to Utah or Massachusetts (compensation and travel included).

For the Utah study, please contact Jessica Ku (Clinical Research Coordinator) at Jessica.ku@hsc.utah.edu

For the Massachusetts study, please contact the Simonyan Lab at simonyan_lab@meei.harvard.edu

PILOT Study of Essential Tremor

Dr. Elan Louis and his team of tremor researchers at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) are conducting a new PILOT study of essential tremor (ET). They need help from the ET community. If you are at least 80 years old and have been diagnosed with essential tremor in the last 2 to 5 years, then please contact the UTSW researchers at the following email address: tremor@utsouthwestern.edu. Please include your contact information in your message, including your name, telephone and the time zone or state.

They are conducting a feasibility study during which they plan to contact you once and ask over the phone 10 questions, including age, gender, medication history, treatment received for ET, and location of tremor symptoms. After completing the screening, they will ask you if you would be interested in a future study.