Together We Thrive: The Power of Community  

Want to thrive while living with Parkinson’s? Journeying with others can help you feel engaged with loved ones and the broader Parkinson’s community, reduce feelings of stigma, and improve mental and physical health. It can also help you be better informed and a more engaged participant in your own healthcare decisions and plans. Join us and empower yourself to start expanding your own circle of support.  

During our webinar on Wednesday, February 19 from 2:00 to 3:10 PM Eastern Time, members of the Parkinson’s community will be featured as they discuss how making connections – personal, community and professional – have positively impacted their own physical and mental wellbeing.  We will also hear from Barbara Salsberg Mathews who will discuss how her recent endeavours – a viral Tik Tok dance challenge, a book about what Parkinson’s feels like showcasing her art, and using mime as a therapeutic tool to help others living with Parkinson’s better manage their symptoms – are helping to build community and bring meaning to her own life with Parkinson’s. 

Members of the Parkinson’s community

  • Brian Campkin
  • Lori Campkin, care partner
  • Nora Lea Arcand
  • Wayne Arcand, care partner
  • Manon Day
  • Carmen Viens, care partner
  • Shane McPhee
  • Gary Brown
  • Neil Murray
  • Blake Mackey
  • Dave Murray
  • Sarah Awde (Get LOUD, Stay LOUD)
  • Mike Whelan
  • Doug McEwen
  • Blair Sigurdson
  • Jordana Hague (Golden Gloves Boxing, U-Turn Parkinson’s)
  • Charles Connolly
  • Mike Loghrin
  • Shannon Harrison (Support & Information, Parkinson Canada)

Keynote

Barbara Salsberg Mathews

Barbara Salsberg Mathews has been creating art since she was a child. She studied mime in Paris, France and had a touring mime company. Barbara graduated with honours from Ontario College of Art, earned her M.Ed. from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and taught visual & dramatic arts in high schools for over 25 years. Barbara has received a number of grants and awards for her work. A lifelong advocate for the arts and an inspiring force in the fight against Parkinson’s, she has dedicated her life to enriching her community through creativity and compassion. 

After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2020, Barbara transformed a personal challenge into a platform for helping others. She created the innovative “Mime over Mind” program, blending her background in mime with therapeutic techniques to support those living with Parkinson’s. This program has gained international recognition and is now part of the University of Guelph’s new Bachelor of Creative Arts, Health, & Wellness degree. She is also on Canadian Open Parkinson Network’s (C-OPN) Parkinson Community Advisors Committee. In 2023, Barbara’s tweet of a video of her dancing went viral within the global Parkinson’s community, evolving into a PD Avengers awareness campaign called Dopamine Dance Against PD. One of her latest initiatives is ‘What Parkinson’s Feels Like’. With the help of Parkinson Europe, Barbara collected descriptions of what Parkinson’s feels like from people living with the condition and transformed these into a new book of illustrations, now available as a free e-book or for purchase through Amazon. She now lives with her husband in Guelph where she does volunteer work and continues to make art. 

Register for this event

Contact Information

Parkinson Canada

Email webinars@parkinson.ca
Event Date
Event Location

Virtual

Location Details

Zoom

Back to top