April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month! To ring the month in right, we are highlighting educational, advocacy and philanthropic actions you can take to join the fight against Parkinson’s Disease. The Parkinson’s Foundation and the Michael J. Fox Foundation both have great resources on how to make an impact during Parkinson’s Awareness Month. Read below for insight in how to help.
Education
Take the #KnowMorePD quiz on the Parkinson’s Foundation website. This quiz is a great test of your PD knowledge, including how many people in the US are affected by PD, the symptoms people with PD experience, and more. You may be surprised by some of the answers!
You can also find illuminating stories, research discussions, and Parkinson’s news by listening to PD-specific podcasts. Check out some of these podcasts:
Substantial Matters: Life and Science of Parkinson’s from the Parkinson’s Foundation
Sunday Mornings with Twitchy Woman, hosted by Sharon Krischer, is a podcast specifically for women with Parkinson’s Disease. PEWC coach and PARTE founder Stephanie Goodman recently spoke with Sharon about Parkinson’s—The Art of Expression.
The Parkinson’s Vitality Project, hosted by Anne Gould-Ruete. For Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Anne is publishing a new episode each week, including two episodes with PEWC coach & PARTE founder Stephanie Goodman!
Neurology Podcast is a Neurology.Org series that covers a broad range of neurology topics, but often includes episodes specific to Parkinson’s.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast is another great podcast hosted by the Foundation’s specialists.
The Parkinson’s Foundation as has a PD Library available for free on their website, and the Michael J. Fox Foundation also has a great Books & Resources page on their website.
Advocacy
Advocating for increased federal funding for research into Parkinson’s is a real and relatively easy way to contribute to the fight against PD. The Michael J. Fox Foundation has some great resources, including a downloadable toolkit, on their website. You can also read our PD Fighters Corner article on Advocacy here.
Giving
Along with advocating for funding for Parkinson’s research, you can directly affect the PD community by becoming a financial supporter of Parkinson’s-specific nonprofits. The Parkinson’s Exercise and Wellness Center is one such nonprofit organization, and we need your support to continue our work.
Our generous donors make the PEWC the best it can be. There are a number of ways you can become a supporter of the PEWC. Make a one-time or recurring donation, become a corporate sponsor, or add us to your estate plan or IRA distributions. To learn more, please visit our Support page.
In the past, our donors have allowed us to:
Lower our monthly membership fees by 20%
Offer unlimited sponsorships to members who could not otherwise afford a membership
Expand our programs to include new classes, including: Movement & Mobility, Spinal Roll & Release, and the Reformer Pilates program
Reach more of the PD community in the Kansas City area
However you decide to observe Parkinson's Awareness Month, know that everyone has a role in fighting Parkinson's Disease, and yours is equally important!
