Raising Awareness for Parkinson’s Disease

Today on The Balancing Act, we welcome representatives from the Parkinson’s Foundation, a Parkinson’s advocate and a woman who shares her experience dealing with Parkinson’s.

Parkinson’s patient Mary Padilla shares her experience with the initial symptoms and how the foundation has supported her. Parkinson’s advocate Hunter Reno also joins the show to share the story of how the disease progressed for her aunt, former attorney general Janet Reno. Dreema Stokes from the Parkinson’s Foundation talks about the resources that the organization offers to sufferers and families, including a 1-800 number and online education.

The Parkinson’s Foundation strives to make life better for people living with Parkinson’s and raise awareness to help beat this disease. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects predominately dopamine-producing (“dopaminergic”) neurons in a specific area of the brain. The progression of symptoms is often a bit different from one person to another due to the diversity of the disease. People with PD may experience: Tremor, mainly at rest, slowness of movements (bradykinesia), limb rigidity, gait and balance problems.

The cause of Parkinson’s remains largely unknown. Although there is no cure, treatment options vary and include medications and surgery. While Parkinson’s itself is not fatal, disease complications can be serious.