Serving OH, MI and Western PA
Set this as my local chapterParkinson’s Foundation Great Lakes makes life better for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) by improving care and advancing research towards a cure. Whether you are newly diagnosed with PD or have been managing it for years, are a care partner, family member or friend of someone with PD, we are here to help you.
We are leaders in ensuring expert Parkinson’s care, educating and empowering the Parkinson’s community and driving the understanding of Parkinson’s through research. As a national organization with local presence and impact, we bring help and hope to the estimated one million people in the U.S., 10 million worldwide, who are living with Parkinson’s.
Your support of the Parkinson’s Foundation Great Lakes Chapter makes a big impact on the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) right here in your community, as well as across the country and around the world!
Read more about our impact in the Great Lakes Chapter
Thanks to supporters like you, we are able to provide free resources and advance research toward a cure.
Find Expert Care
Access to care professionals, medications and services
Parkinson’s Foundation Global Care Network creates more opportunities for people with PD to access high-quality care.
Aware in Care Kit
Advocate for your best care
The Aware in Care Hospital Kit gives people with PD tools and information to share with hospital staff during a planned or emergency hospital visit.
Helpline
The Helpline answers more than 20,000 calls a year
Call our Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (473-4636) to find your nearest PD specialist or local resources and get answers to your PD and caregiving questions.
PD Library
We are your trusted ally for information at every stage
We offer resources including videos, podcasts, webinars and other opportunities to learn about the many aspects of living well with PD.
Progress towards new medicines, better therapies and eventually a cure relies, almost exclusively, on innovative, high-quality research.
The Great Lakes Chapter provides education, resources and programs throughout Ohio, Michigan and Western Pennsylvania.
Our coverage of Western Pennsylvania includes the following counties:
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Allegheny |
Cameron |
Forest |
Mercer |
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Armstrong |
Clarion |
Greene |
Somerset |
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Beaver |
Clearfield |
Indiana |
Venango |
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Bedford |
Crawford |
Jefferson |
Warren |
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Blair |
Elk |
Lawrence |
Washington |
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Butler |
Erie |
McKean |
Westmoreland |
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Cambria |
Fayette |
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For information on Eastern Pennsylvania resources, please visit our Mid-Atlantic Chapter.
The Parkinson’s Foundation Community Grants program supports programs that further the health, wellness and education of the Parkinson’s community. We help people with Parkinson’s live better lives, today.
In the 2021 grant cycle, we awarded nine local grants to community programs. These Community Grants are made possible through the support of donors.
Learn more about the Parkinson’s Foundation Community Grants program, including application information, deadlines and more.
440-568-0093
GreatLakes@Parkinson.org
Parkinson’s Foundation
ATTN: Great Lakes
200 SE 1st Street, Suite 800
Miami, FL 33131
Tom Graffeo – President
Tom started his Parkinson’s volunteer journey in 2005 when his partner was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s disease. He started volunteering and eventually became part of the Central Ohio Parkinson’s Society Board. Years later, this board would unify to become a part of the newly founded Parkinson’s Foundation. Currently Tom sits as the residing President of the Great Lakes Chapter and helps support the three chapter Moving Days.
When Tom is not volunteering, you will find him fulfilling his role as Director of Sales and Marketing at the Sonesta Columbus Downtown or enjoying time with his two grandsons.
Dan DeWitt – Chair, Board Development
Dan has mostly retired from his career as a licensed psychologist. His wife, Ginny, recently joined him in retirement, allowing them to spend more time focusing on their health, their kids and grandkids, volunteer activities, and travel adventures.
When Dan was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2011, he sought to learn about his newly acquired condition and looked for opportunities to help himself and others with the disease to maintain a high quality of life. H began a support group, Team Spark. He became involved with the Parkinson Foundation as a Research Associate and as a member of their patient Advisory Committee.
Breck Jordan – Chair, Mission Development
Breck Jordan has been volunteering with the Parkinson's Foundation for over a decade. After her father, Ronnie, was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2011, Breck found great comfort and fulfillment in becoming involved in fundraising and education with the Foundation. She has been an Aware in Care ambassador since 2020. She has been the chairperson of Moving Day Dayton since 2019. In her leisure time, you can find her cooking, gardening and spending time with family & friends (including her two cats, Boris and Leroy).
Staci Headings – Chair, Fund Development
Staci has worked in hospitality sales most of her career and made a change to Senior Living during the pandemic. It is a perfect fit for her as it makes it possible to help people every day which she greatly enjoys. That is one of the many reasons she got involved with the Parkinson’s Foundation. She has a grown son that is currently serving in the army in Georgia. She lives with her partner in northeast Columbus. In her spare time, she loves working in her flower beds, taking walks with friends and binge watching the latest “who-dunnit” documentary.
Dr. Reversa Joseph, MD – Advisory Board Member
Dr. Reversa Joseph is a Board-Certified Neurologist specializing in Movement Disorders. She received her Bachelor of Arts at Columbia University, Medical Degree at Georgetown University and completed her Neurology Residency training at Yale University. She pursued fellowship training in Movement Disorders with focus in Deep Brain Stimulation at Georgetown University. Dr. Joseph has also completed a fellowship in Clinical Neurophysiology at the National Institutes of Health. She serves as the Director of the Movement Disorders Clinic at the Chalmers P. Wylie VA and as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Neurology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
Pam Dirk – Advisory Board Member
Pam started her Parkinson’s journey when her cousin was diagnosed with early onset. Her family traveled to Columbus Moving Days in support and learned about the disease. Pam was on the committee to bring Moving Day to Cleveland and has helped to run the Kid’s Zone ever since. Awareness, support and genetic testing are important to her especially because another cousin and an uncle have been diagnosed.