10 - 16 April 2017

World Parkinson's Day

Having recently met a Parkinson's Local Advisor, I was astonished to learn the profound affects Parkinson's Disease has on individuals; not appreciating that every person diagnosed, copes with their unique range of symptoms and that no two people with Parkinson's have the same symptoms. People having to adjust to manage what they once considered straightforward day-to-day tasks - requiring increasing support from loved ones, carers or community volunteers, alongside a concoction of medication which is largely 'trial and error' in the first weeks and months to keep symptoms at bay.

There are no central funding streams to research or develop better medical treatments and community Parkinson's teams rely heavily on donation and local fund raising.

This year World Parkinson's Day falls during Parkinson's Awareness Week on Tuesday 11 April 2017. The day marks 200 years since Parkinson's was first recognised as a medical condition.

To mark this day, Parkinson's are teaming up with the European Parkinson's Disease Association to #UniteForParkinsons. They are asking everyone around the world to unite and raise awareness on a bigger scale than ever before.

Join them and #UniteForParkinsons. Find out how you can get involved both online and offline at www.worldparkinsonsday.com.

There are also several free resource packs with a series of pamphlets to support those diagnosed and those in caring/supportive roles, available from the Parkinson's website and a range of online clips to explain Parkinson's in more depth.