Parkinson’s Foundation Launches #ABCsOfPD Campaign for Parkinson’s Awareness Month

NEW YORK & MIAMI (April 2, 2024) — The Parkinson’s Foundation honors Parkinson’s Awareness Month with the launch of a new campaign, #ABCsOfPD. The campaign aims to raise awareness for Parkinson’s disease (PD) by educating the public about key topics related to one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders.

“This April, the Parkinson’s Foundation is encouraging everyone to learn the #ABCsOfPD to further Parkinson’s disease awareness across the country,” said Parkinson’s Foundation President and CEO John L. Lehr. “The Foundation is committed to sharing resources to help people with Parkinson’s live better lives today.”

The #ABCsOfPD campaign aims to highlight the various facets of PD, its many intricacies and how to recognize its symptoms. Featuring 26 topics of discussion, the #ABCsOfPD helps people living with Parkinson’s, their care partners and the community at large learn everything they need to know about PD, quite literally, from A to Z.

Some examples of the #ABCsOfPD campaign that make PD terminology easier to understand include:

  • Care Partner (C): Like Parkinson’s, there are several stages of the care partner journey. Care partners are invited to explore free articles, tools and courses designed just for them on Parkinson.org/CarePartners.
  • Motor Fluctuations (M): Also known as “on-off” times, these are changes in the ability to move related to medications. “On” times refer to good symptom control, while “off” times occur when medications wear off.
  • Wellness Wednesday (W): People living with Parkinson’s can access at-home resources through weekly online events that focus on wellness, exercise and mental health, available year-round at PD Health @ Home.

“I’m happy and humbled to be raising awareness about the importance of exercise during Parkinson’s Awareness Month,” said Cindy Finestone, member of the Parkinson’s Foundation People with Parkinson’s Advisory Council. “Sharing the ins and outs of living with Parkinson’s and what I’ve learned from this community, makes me feel like I’m doing something that’s helping.”

The Parkinson’s Foundation is also happy to announce their partnership with Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (MTPA) this Parkinson’s Awareness Month. Based in Jersey City, N.J., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America, Inc. (MTPA) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation (MTPC) and is dedicated to improving the treatment landscape and creating hope for those living with debilitating diseases in North America, like PD.

“At Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (MTPA), we’re focused on understanding the everyday challenges people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and their loved ones face, including the impact of motor fluctuations,” said Yasutoshi Kawakami, president of MTPA. “This Parkinson’s Awareness Month, we’re proud to partner with the Parkinson’s Foundation to help raise awareness and share important resources with the PD community.”

To learn more about the #ABCsOfPD campaign, visit Parkinson.org/Awareness or call 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636).

About the Parkinson’s Foundation
The Parkinson’s Foundation makes life better for people with Parkinson’s disease by improving care and advancing research toward a cure. In everything we do, we build on the energy, experience and passion of our global Parkinson’s community. Since 1957, the Parkinson’s Foundation has invested more than $449 million in Parkinson’s research and clinical care. Connect with us on Parkinson.org, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or call 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636).

About Parkinson’s Disease
Affecting an estimated one million Americans, Parkinson’s disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s and is the 14th-leading cause of death in the U.S. It is associated with a progressive loss of motor control (e.g., shaking or tremor at rest and lack of facial expression), as well as non-motor symptoms (e.g., depression and anxiety). There is no cure for Parkinson’s and nearly 90,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the U.S.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Melissa Nobles Gonzalez
Parkinson's Foundation
[email protected]
305-537-9134
Parkinson.org