Celebrating 45 years of accomplishments

2010  marks Parkinson Society Canada’s 45^th year of supporting Canadians with Parkinson’s. Take a look at some of the milestones we achieved as the organization evolved.

1965
Canadian Parkinson’s Disease Association / Association Canadienne du Parkinson is incorporated with a mandate of research, education and services. Directors attending the first meeting include the mayor of Toronto, Charles Mortimer Q.C., Dr. Ronald Tasker and Dr. André Barbeau, the internationally recognized neurologist who initiated research, in 1960, that demonstrated Parkinson’s resulted from a dopamine deficit.

1966
Grassroots groups form in Victoria, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal.

1969
B.C. Parkinson’s Disease Association is incorporated, sharing a board of directors with the Vancouver Neurological Centre until 1984.  (It becomes the Parkinson Society British Columbia, September 14, 2002.)

1971
The organization is renamed The Parkinson Foundation of Canada / La Fondation Parkinson du Canada.

1972
The Saskatchewan Parkinson’s Disease Foundation registers as a charity.

1973
The Parkinson’s Society of Alberta is incorporated.

1977
The first chapter is organized in Manitoba.

1979
The Parkinson’s Disease Society of Ottawa-Carleton (Ontario) is incorporated. (It becomes Parkinson Society Ottawa in 2002.)

1980
Volunteers form and run the London, Ontario Parkinson’s Support group.

1981
The National Research Program is launched with the creation of the organization’s first Scientific Advisory Board.

Parkinson Foundation of Canada awards its first research grant, $150,000, to Dr. Clement Young of Toronto Western Hospital/University of Toronto.

1983
Parkinson’s Disease Society of Nova Scotia is established. (It becomes Parkinson Society Canada – Maritime Region in 1999.)

1984
At the launch of the first Parkinson Awareness Week in Canada, Honorary Chairman Murray Koffler salutes the Foundation and urges people with Parkinson’s to “tell it like it is.”

Dr. James Parkinson tulip bulbs are available for the first time in Canada in the Ottawa area. 10,000 bulbs are sold.

1985
Dr. André Barbeau merges the Quebec Parkinson Chapter with the Parkinson Foundation of Canada and pleads for volunteer solidarity.

1986
Victoria Epilepsy and Parkinson’s Centre (British Columbia) incorporates.

1987
A Newfoundland and Labrador support group is established.

1988
The first annual sale of James Parkinson tulip bulbs across Canada results in the sale of close to 20,000 bulbs.

1989
The Parkinson Society of Fredericton (New Brunswick) receives its charter.

The Saint John (New Brunswick) Chapter co-hosts Parkinson Foundation of Canada’s Annual General Meeting and Conference in Saint John, establishing a model for the Foundation’s travelling AGM and conference.

1990
Seven members of the Toronto (Ontario) Chapter hold the first SuperWalk.

The first annual Blue Jays Pitch In for Parkinson’s baseball game takes place. Pitcher John Cerutti tapes a 30-second public service announcement.

1993
One of the first Parkinson Foundation of Canada fellowships is awarded to Dr. Pierre Blanchet.

1994
Sales of James Parkinson tulip bulbs across Canada reach 100,000 (up from 20,000 in 1988).

Dr. A. Jon Stoessel receives a two-year operating grant to study “Mechanisms underlying complications of dopaminergic therapy in PD.”

1996
Parkinson Foundation of Canada supports the development and validation of the first North American rating scale to measure quality of life in Parkinson’s.

2000
SuperWalk for Parkinson’s celebrates its 10th Anniversary with 38 walks across Canada, raising $641,191.

2001
The organization is renamed Parkinson Society Canada/Société Parkinson Canada. A new logo is introduced and the mission statement is revised.

A National Agreement among Canadian Parkinson’s organizations is signed by every Canadian organization representing Canadians living with Parkinson’s.

The National Information and Referral Centre opens.

2002
The Donald Calne Lectureship is created to provide Canada’s Parkinson and medical communities with access to some of the world’s foremost experts on Parkinson’s.

In two years, SuperWalk doubles its revenue to $1,266,574.

2003
Parkinson Society Canada works with Health Canada to produce a report, Parkinson’s Disease: Social and Economic Impact, which for the first time reveals economic statistics about Parkinson’s.

2004
Parkinson Society Canada hosts the 8th International World Parkinson Day, bringing together all the stakeholder groups in the Parkinson’s community.

At the annual conference of the College of Family Physicians, Parkinson Society Canada provides family physicians with the newly-developed Family Physician Information and Resource Kit.

SuperWalk reaches new heights – 74 walks raising almost $1.7 million.

2005
Parkinson Society Canada celebrates its 40th anniversary

2006
Over 70 Canadian delegates attend the first World Parkinson Congress in Washington, D.C.

Parkinson Report appears in the Globe and Mail.

2007
Parkinson Society Canada launches the new website to coincide with Parkinson Awareness Month in April.

SuperWalk breaks the $2.1 million mark, with over 12,000 walkers participating in 80 walks across Canada.

Parkinson Society Canada’s National Research Program invests $1.1 million in Parkinson’s research.

Parkinson Society Canada helps launch the Parkinson’s Research Alliance, a group of 50 of Canada’s leading researchers and clinicians and Parkinson Society Canada, who share ways to collaborate, promote and advocate for excellence in clinical care and research in Parkinson’s disease.

2008
Parkinson Society Canada launches its new National Ad campaign, “Nothing’s easy when your body turns against you.” The campaign was developed by the renowned creative agency, TAXI 2.

Parkinson Society Canada is instrumental in getting the Neurological Health Charities Coalition off the ground.

2009
The federal government announces $15 million in research funding for the first-ever national study on the prevalence and impact of neurological diseases in Canada.

SuperWalk for Parkinson’s raises more than $2.3 million with over 13,000 walkers in 87 locations across Canada.

2010
Parkinson Society Canada celebrates 45 years of service.

On its 20^th anniversary, Superwalk gets a new name, Parkinson SuperWalk.