SteadiSpoon

Today (April 1st) is the beginning of Parkinson’s Awareness Month. With 1 million people suffering from Parkinson’s in the US alone and more than 10 million worldwide, it is important to bring awareness to a disease affecting so many loved ones across the nation. To kick off the first week of April, here are 7 facts about Parkinson’s disease (PD): 1. PD is most prevalent as age increases but up to 4% of diagnoses occur in patients below the age of 50 2. A recent 2022 study estimates that 90,000 people are diagnosed with PD each year (up from previous estimates of 60,000) 3. The combined direct and indirect costs of PD for treatment, lost income, and social security payments is around $52 billion annually in the US 4. The only Parkinson’s prevalence survey since 1978 occurred in 2018 and caused estimates of disease prevalence to increase by 50% 5. Medications alone cost $2,500/year on average and surgeries can cost up $100,000 6. There are ~70,000 Parkinson’s patients in the state of Texas alone 7. You can support Parkinson’s patients today through donating nationally (parkinsons.org) or locally in Dallas (daps.org) Source:?https://lnkd.in/gHUJPjpS

Happy Easter from the SteadiSpoon team! We hope you were able to enjoy a meal with loved ones.

Our founder, Raleigh Dewan, recently spoke at SMU's Maguire Ethics Center event, "Ethics in Action" with an amazing panel of entrepreneurs who believe in doing well by doing good. Dewan was able to tell the story of SteadiSpoon and how his Grand June inspired a company obsessed with helping people all over the world regain their dignity.?

A recent BBC article details the potential upside of using virtual reality (VR) headsets as a type of physical therapy for Parkinson’s. The trial shows great promise in enhancing adrenaline and dopamine production in patients which helps to alleviate symptoms like tremors, stiff movements, and gait issues. A study done over 15 years ago by Dr. Jeffrey Hausdorff from Tel Aviv, Israel had similar beneficial findings as gait issues decreased after just 6 weeks of VR training. At SteadiSpoon, we recognize the incredible ability of technology to reduce Parkinson’s symptoms and improve quality of life. It is encouraging to see continued advancements in treatment as technology progresses. However, we also know that treatments must serve two purposes: to address the physical symptoms but also to empower patients to reclaim their dignity. Whether it is using a VR headset or the SteadiSpoon device, we want all patients to feel comfortable taking life back into their hands. https://lnkd.in/gT-v3Qt2

This week, we had the pleasure of representing?Southern Methodist University and pitching SteadiSpoon at this year's ACC InVenture Prize Competition. We are so grateful for the opportunity to network with other college founders and share our story. Thank you to everyone who organized the event, those who watched us live, and our amazing mentors at SMU!