Do you have Parkinson’s yourself? Are you aware of the common symptoms? Do you know of the options for help in our region?
There are over 5,000 people living with Parkinson’s disease in northern Nevada and over 90,000 new diagnoses per year in the U.S. Parkinson’s disease is the fastest growing neurodegenerative disease in the world. Although it is often thought of as an “old person’s disease”, Parkinson’s affects people of all ages with 10% diagnosed under the age of 50!
Parkinson’s disease (PD) occurs when brain cells that make dopamine, a chemical that coordinates movement, stop working or die. Dopamine is the chemical that sends messages to the part of the brain that controls movement and coordination. The loss of dopamine causes neurons to fire abnormally, leaving patients less able to control their movement. PD can cause tremor, slowness, stiffness, walking difficulty and balance problems. Researchers believe that in most people Parkinson’s is caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors. It is a lifelong and progressive disease, which means that symptoms slowly worsen over time.
While there is yet no cure for Parkinson’s disease, it can be managed by relieving specific symptoms with medications and exercise. It is important to know that not all symptoms can be managed by medications, and you should have a network of medical professionals in addition to your movement disorder specialist and neurologist, because a PD treatment is often a team effort. The goals of treatment vary for each person, but in most cases, treatment for Parkinson’s disease is designed to maintain overall quality of life, improve mobility and function, reduce rigidity and tremor, and maintain mental sharpness.
The Parkinson Support Center of Northern Nevada (PSCNN) is the only organization serving this population in our community. They are an all-volunteer 501.c.3 nonprofit that provides support programs, education and advocacy. Parkinson’s disease (PD) can be very isolating and the PSCNN’s mission is to assure “no one has to face Parkinson’s disease alone”. They offer several PD Community groups which provide a place to meet with other people with the disease, share stories and learn from special guests. They also have a Mentor Program which pairs people newly diagnosed with a mentor who is someone with experience living with the disease. And the PSCNN phone line is available for questions about other resources available to help. With support from the local organization, Thank You Ma’am, the PSCNN is developing a series of videos featuring the stories of local people facing Parkinson’s disease. These videos can be found on the PSCNN YouTube channel and on their website, www.pscnn.org
When diagnosed with any chronic disease, it is important to learn as much as you can so that you can live as well as possible. The Parkinson Support Center of Northern Nevada (PSCNN) offers educational programming almost every month, with topics ranging from new medical research to nutritional considerations to legal issues. These are programs for people with PD, care partners, healthcare professionals and the general community. In addition to the monthly presentations, PSCNN holds an annual Movement and Wellness Fair in the fall. This is an opportunity to meet providers of exercise programs, therapist, nutritional support and other services that can help someone with PD keep moving and live a full life.
April is International Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month. On Thursday, April 18th, PSCNN is partnering with the national nonprofit Drive Toward a Cure to host a very special inaugural Evening of Music & Motion™. It is an awareness-raising and fundraising event. The evening will feature prominent cars owned by performing artists as well as those driven by legendary racers who were challenged by Parkinson’s, all curated throughout the entire 100,000+square feet of the remarkable National Automobile Museum. Sharing the evening among our special guests will be singer/actress/producer Vanessa Williams, moderating an open discussion revealing the passion and professional lives of our panelists and highlighting the pure emotion we all share when it comes to music and cars. In addition, Rasheda Ali (daughter of Muhammad Ali) will be joining the discussion, speaking about her father, his cars and Parkinson’s disease. And Reno local, off-road racer, and Parkinson’s advocate Shelby Hall will also be part of our panel! It will be an evening to come together, enjoy the amazing cars in the museum, eat some good food, listen to music, learn more about Parkinson’s disease and help support the Parkinson Support Center of Northern Nevada. You can find more information and purchase tickets at: https://www.drivetowardacure.org/music-and-motion-reno-2024/
