Linda Redford, a communication and change management expert met her husband Don, then a journalist, over 21 years ago. Shortly after they married, Don was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.  He was terrified of what he did not know about the disease and how the future he had just begun with his new wife would unfold. Their … Read more

Just Imagine the Impact Your Legacy Giving can have on Future Generations Gifts in Wills are vital to serving people living with Parkinson’s disease, their families, and the healthcare professionals who treat them. They ensure expanded and sustained funding for innovative research, education and support programs. Whatever the size of your legacy gift, it will … Read more

Some people with Parkinson’s disease experience freezing of gait every day. Unfortunately, medication that reduces motor symptoms of this disease doesn’t usually help with freezing. At McGill University, PhD student Alexandra Potvin-Desrochers is investigating the connectivity between the regions of the brain involved in freezing. Her aim is to determine whether combining rTMS—repetitive Transcranial Magnetic … Read more

  As a clinical fellow at the Toronto Western Hospital Movement Disorders Clinic, Dr. Emily Swinkin will learn more about how to use techniques like deep brain stimulation and an intestinal gel called Duodopa to better treat people with complicated cases or those in the later stages of Parkinson’s disease. She looks forward to building … Read more

Greetings, In a matter of weeks, the world has changed. These are unprecedented times with COVID-19 creating a world of uncertainty. In taking on this leadership role, I want to ensure that Parkinson Canada will continue to be there for those living with Parkinson’s until we find a cure. And I know that in my … Read more

Dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment are one of the most distressing symptoms of late-stage Parkinson’s disease. Currently, there’s no way to predict who will develop them, or to intervene early if treatments are discovered. At the University of Montreal, Dr. Alexandru Hanganu, an assistant professor, is developing an algorithm to predict who is … Read more

Deep brain stimulation is a treatment to reduce the tremors, stiffness and slowness associated with Parkinson’s disease by placing electrodes that deliver electrical currents deep inside the brain, reactivating areas where the circuitry for motor control is damaged. Although effective in reducing these motor symptoms, deep brain stimulation requires surgery and does not improve the … Read more