Message from our CEO

April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month.

This year, as we celebrate 45 years of supporting Canadians with Parkinson’s, we can proudly look back on some of our accomplishments in our four pillars – support, education, advocacy and research.

We have been here when Canadians with Parkinson’s need us most, reaching out into the community through our 12 regional partner Societies, 235 support groups and chapters.

For many people with Parkinson’s and family members, we have become the first stop on the path to information. Our National Information and Referral Centre has fielded information requests from over 12,000 Canadians. We continue to add to the knowledge about Parkinson’s by publishing information sheets and other educational materials.

We are building stronger partnerships with organizations such as:

Neurological Health Charities Canada, which is gathering data that will enable us to better define the scope and breadth of Parkinson’s disease in Canada and the economic impact of the disease;
the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, leveraging our research dollars; and
the Canadian Coalition for Genetic Fairness, joining forces to advocate for protection against genetic discrimination.

Our proud tradition of funding Canadian-based research has made us the largest private sector funder of Parkinson’s research in the country. Since 1982, we have invested $16.8 million in Parkinson’s research. In the past year alone, we invested over $1 million in 26 research projects. We have also launched a psychosocial research stream of funding so that researchers can examine not just the physical aspects of the disease but its emotional, psychological and social impacts, to make life better for people with Parkinson’s.

We are making progress. Our researchers are gaining new insights into areas such as: Parkinson’s and pesticides (Dr. Shawn Hayley); swallowing and gum chewing (Dr. Mandar Jog); iron levels and other differences in the brains of people with Parkinson’s (Dr. Alex Rauscher); loss of sense of smell (Dr. Harold Robertson); and REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder (Dr. Ron Postuma).

These incremental steps move us closer to achieving our vision: A better life with a brighter future for Canadians living with Parkinson’s today. A world without Parkinson’s tomorrow.

This April, nationally and regionally, we will continue to increase knowledge and awareness of Parkinson’s disease, Parkinson’s issues and the work of Parkinson Society in Canada through our television ad campaign, print campaign, radio public service announcements, tulip sales, informational materials, banners, fact sheets, e-Post, media kits and stories from people with Parkinson’s and our website.

Parkinson SuperWalk online registration opens on April 7th at www.parkinsonsuperwalk.ca. We are expecting our biggest turnout ever for this 20th year of SuperWalk and encourage you to register today.

We appreciate your commitment and continued support.

Joyce Gordon,
President & CEO