News

The 15th Annual APDA Winchester Symposium was held on Thursday, June 3rd at the Jenks Senior Center.  This year’s symposium was entitled Clinical Research in Parkinson’s Disease: Who Cares… and Why You Should.  Dr. Samuel Frank from Boston University Medical Center presented an overview of clinical research and how it specifically relates to Parkinson’s disease. 

The Boston Bruins Foundation and host
Shawn Thornton held the 1st Annual 

Shawn Thornton's Putt's and Punches for Parkinson's
Golf Tournament 

on Monday, August 9, 2010 at the Ferncroft Country Club in Middleton, MA.  Thornton very generously chose to support the American Parkinson Disease Association in the fight against Parkinson's disease and the MA Chapter could not be more grateful. We thank him and the Bruins Foundation for their excellent work and generous support!!!

To read the full story in the Salem News, please CLICK HERE. 
Visit the Boston Bruins website for more news from the event and information on the Boston Bruins Foundation.

 

On April 19, 2010 two individuals ran the 2010 Boston Marathon and took the opportunity to support the APDA Massachusetts Chapter. Early that morning, Patti Hall and Frank Killilea made their way to Hopkinton only to turn around and run the 26.2 mile course to Boston. They survived Heartbreak Hill and finished the race with smiles and support from their families. Through their dedication and phenomenal fundraising efforts, our runners raised $4,450 combined and the MA Chapter couldn’t be more grateful.

 

Are you or someone you know trying to balance caregiving for a loved one with life's challenging demands? Are you trying to enjoy your time with your loved one but feel like you are hurrying to "get things done"?  The APDA  Massachusetts Chapter  is sponsoring a new type of support service for family caregivers of people with Parkinson's disease. 

Click here for the annoucenemt.

The American Parkinson Disease Association Massachusetts Chapter honored one of their outstanding board members, Donna Leitao by presenting her the Volunteer of the Year Award at the 24th Annual APDA MA Chapter Parkinson’s Walkathon. Chapter President Volodymyr Lyczmanenko presented Donna with this well deserved award. Donna has been an outstanding volunteer for the past five years. She was a key member in creating the Annual DOPA Golf Tournament. She has introduced social networking to help increase awareness of Parkinson support in Massachusetts and has enlisted hundreds of volunteers to participate in APDA events.  Donna currently serves as an active member of the MA Chapter Board as a Member-at-Large.

The American Medical Association has updated their Older Driving Safety Guide. Click Here for the press release and visit our Driving Resources page for more information on driving safety and assessment.

 

 

To meet the growing needs of the Young Onset Parkinson’s community, we have expanded our Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease support group. We now offer three Young Onset Parkinson’s disease support groups: Baby Boomers, Caring Family & Friends, and Younger Young Onset.

For more information, please Click Here for view the brochure with group descriptions and contact information. Please feel free to contact Allyson Gormley at (617) 638-7747 or Allyson.Gormley@bmc.org to find out more.

Seventeen individuals including Cape and Island support group leaders, APDA Information and Referral Center staff, and APDA and NPF Chapter representatives gathered for a program of sharing on Wednesday January 6th, 2010. This event was held at the Coonamessett Inn in Falmouth, MA.

JF&CS Parkinson’s Family Support

The Jewish Family and Children's Service of Waltham invites you to join them for a new Parkinson's support group, specifically designed for care partners.

To learn more, visit the brochure here.

The American Parkinson’s Disease Association, Massachusetts Chapter is pleased to announce its collaboration on a new venture with the Leonard Florence Center for Living in Chelsea, MA to build and develop the first-in-the-nation Green House® Parkinson’s Residence.

 

David Iverson - PBS Frontline Correspondent

Video footage of this special presentation is now available online. CLICK HERE to watch the video at BUniverse.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Boston University College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College

The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) MA Chapter has recently recognized Ken Bernstein for his long-term volunteer support and advocacy on behalf of the Parkinson Community. APDA Chapter President Volodymyr Lyczmanenko presented the Community Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of Ken’s important work at this year’s 24th Annual APDA MA Chapter Walkathon held at the Reebok International Headquarters in June.

 

 

Boston Law firm Melick, Porter and Shea LLP generously support the APDA Massachusetts Chapter.

US FDA approves Requip® XL™, the first and only oral once-daily non-ergot dopamine agonist for Parkinson’s disease.

Click here for the press release from GlaxoSmithKline

** The ADAGIO study results press release is now available.

Click here for the press release from Teva Neuroscience

The American Parkinson Disease Association has established a Young Onset Center with a full-time director dedicated solely to supporting young individuals and their families. The Center is located at Glenbrook Hospital in Glenbrook, Illinois. Please feel free to contact the director Julie Sacks, LCSW at 877-223-3801 or e-mail apda@youngparkinsons.org  or visit the website www.youngparkinsons.org.

North Shore PD Support Group Members and APDA MA Chapter and I&R Center staff said farewell to Peggy Roaf, RN and Angela Pangakis on June 14th at tbe Beverly Senior Center. Peggy and Angela have been dedicated volunteer support group leaders for the past twenty years. Peggy and Angela became involved with the group when their husbands were diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Through the years they have helped hundreds of individuals, family members and healthcare professionals receive support and guidance. Cathi Thomas, APDA Center Coordinator, describes both Peggy and Angela as two of the most wonderful, caring, and reliable leaders in the MA support network. Great friendships were made along the way and the group also benefited from the help of friends Betty and Lorraine.

 

Beginning Wednesday, July 14, we are pleased to announce the kick-off of a six-week program offering Tai Chi adapted for Parkinson’s and Dystonia.

Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese martial art is practiced today as a healing, life-giving set of movements that improve:
• Balance
• Stress management
• Flexibility
• Sleep stability
• Overall quality of life

For more information and to register, please contact Jane Arsham, phone: (857) 362-7422, email:  taichi.janea@gmail.com.

Click here for the event flyer.

The 7th Annual Hillary McMahon Memorial Golf Tournament, held at the Brookside Club in Bourne, MA, was a tremendous success.  Paul McMahon, assisted by his faithful committee, coordinated the event and the Massachusetts Chapter of the APDA received a generous gift of $7,500.  To date, this tournament has raised over $63,000 to help in the effort to fight Parkinson’s disease.

This issue addresses such topics as "How to Keep Your Job When You Become Ill", "The Emotional Impact of Leaving Work on Disability", "Planning Ahead", and "Benefits at Work".

To obtain a copy of the Young Onset Center Newsletter, visit the Young Onset Center website at www.youngparkinsons.org or call the APDA I & R Center at Boston University: (800) 651-8466.

People with Parkinson's disease sometimes have difficulty communicating, as their voices become softer or their words are not clearly articulated. They can become more socially withdrawn as a result. The Tremble Clefs can help!

A conference to address new approaches to advocacy through the use of “new media” such as the Internet, Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc. took place in Newport, RI on November 13th & 14th. Organized by the Arthritis Foundation and generously underwritten by a grant from Novartis, the conference featured experts on new media from the Arthritis Foundation and new media marketing consulting firms. The keynote address on “National Health Care Reform” was given by the Honorable Patrick Kennedy, Representative to the US Congress. APDA Massachusetts was represented by its Chapter President, Volodymyr Lyczmanenko (shown here with Rep. Kennedy). The conference provided many ideas for PD awareness; we expect to implement some of these over the coming months.