Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical therapy used to treat certain aspects of Parkinson’s disease (PD). This powerful therapy most addresses the movement symptoms of Parkinson’s and certain side effects caused by medications.
This video features a voiceover from Dr. Michael Okun, the National Medical Advisor for the Parkinson's Foundation.
Hay mucho que saber acerca de la enfermedad de Parkinson. Aprenda cómo se trata y, lo más importante, cómo llevar una vida mejor con Parkinson.
El Parkinson es una enfermedad individualizada. Si bien la experiencia de cada persona con el Parkinson es única, cuanto más sepa, más empoderado estará para desempeñar un papel activo en su autocuidado y manejar su vida con Parkinson.
The National Parkinson’s Project is a first-ever federal initiative to prevent and cure Parkinson’s disease, treat its symptoms and slow or stop its progression. The National Parkinson’s Project is being carried out under the National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act, by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).
What’s Next
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is building a supporting advisory council to develop the National Parkinson’s Project. This is a collaborative effort, as government agencies and leaders in the PD space, including the Parkinson’s Foundation, will provide essential community input and planning support.
The National Parkinson’s Project will encompass research, care, and services for Parkinson’s and all other neurodegenerative Parkinsonisms, including multiple system atrophy, corticobasal degeneration, progressive supranuclear palsy, and Parkinson’s-related dementia.
To receive updates on the Act, please sign up for the NIH listserv.
January 2025 Update
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has received a delegation of authority to lead the implementation of the Dr. Emmanuel Bilirakis and Honorable Jennifer Wexton National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act, which was signed into law on July 2, 2024. Along with the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of NIH, will co-chair the Advisory Council on Parkinson’s Research, Care, and Services called for in this Act.
The NIH, with support from OASH and in collaboration with the Council, will create, maintain, and periodically update a National Plan to prevent, diagnose, treat and cure Parkinson’s, as well as stop disease progression.
The National Plan will encompass research, care, and services for Parkinson’s disease (PD) and all other neurodegenerative Parkinsonisms, including multiple system atrophy, corticobasal degeneration, progressive supranuclear palsy, and Parkinson’s-related dementia.
To receive updates on the Act, please sign up for the NIH listserv.
September 2024 Update
On September 17, 2024, thousands of policy advocates across the country will virtually rally together to urge elected officials to take steps to better understand and address environmental risk factors for Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Led by the Unified Parkinson’s Advocacy Council, the Parkinson’s National Day of Action is entirely virtual, and it only takes a few minutes to participate! On September 17:
More than 1 million Americans live with Parkinson’s, the second most common and fastest growing neurological disease. Help us get closer to a cure by participating in the Parkinson’s National Day of Action!
July 2024 Update
On July 2, 2024, President Biden signed the National Parkinson's Project into law. This is the first-ever federal legislation dedicated to ending Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Top five ways this monumental bill can make an impact:
“The Parkinson’s Foundation is excited for what comes next,” said John Lehr, Parkinson’s Foundation President and CEO. “We look forward to having input in designing exactly how this bill will mobilize meaningful change for the one million Americans living with this disease.”
The Parkinson’s Foundation would like to thank all the PD advocates, volunteers and people who wrote to their senators and representatives to make this bill to become law. We also thank President Biden and members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives for helping us make PD history.
Share this monumental victory on your social media channels! Get friends and family excited that Parkinson’s disease has received legislative support.
Share the news on social media. Click here.
Follow us on social media (Facebook, X, Instagram and others) to stay up to date on what happens next. We are excited to document the process and any movement spurred by the new Act and our involvement alongside the Michael J. Fox Foundation and other leaders in the PD space to establish next steps.
May 2024 Update
On May 23, 2024, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act, the first-ever federal legislation dedicated to ending Parkinson’s disease (PD). Next, the bill will be sent to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the U.S. House of Representatives in December.
“As we eagerly await the bill to be signed into law, we applaud members of congress for their bipartisan support and recognition of one of the most pressing health care issues of our day,” said Parkinson’s Foundation President and CEO John L. Lehr. “On behalf of the Parkinson’s Foundation, I’d like to thank members of the United States Congress for joining the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, the Unified Parkinson's Advocacy Council and the greater PD community in the fight against Parkinson’s disease.”
This monumental bill has the potential to shape the lives of the one million Americans living with Parkinson’s. It is designed to:
Once President Biden signs the bill into law, the Federal government will begin to establish actionable steps to carry out the plan. The Parkinson’s Foundation looks forward to working alongside the Michael J. Fox Foundation and other leaders in the PD space to help throughout this process.
Content provided by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF). Read the MJFF blog article here.
December 2023 Update
On December 14, 2023, The National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act (S.1064/H.R.8585) passed through the U.S. House of Representatives. Next, the bill will go to the U.S. Senate.
Now is the time to have all of your members of Congress sign on to support the bill so it will pass this session!
Find our if your state’s Senator and Representative co-sponsored the bill:
Your senators and representatives need to hear from members of the Parkinson’s community about why we need a focused, national strategy to prevent Parkinson’s, find a cure, and ensure those living with the disease can access care.
Specifically, we encourage members of the Parkinson’s community in the U.S. to Call Your Members of Congress.
Members of Congress and their staff want to know what is important to you and how to best represent you. Your representative and senators need to learn about what it is like living with Parkinson’s — or loving or knowing someone with Parkinson’s — so they can understand why it is important to support The National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act (S.1064/H.R.8585).
Here is an easy way to help you tell your story to members of Congress and their staff:
I hope you will help contribute to a cure by co-sponsoring this legislation.
On July 28, 2022, the U.S. House of Representatives introduced the first-ever legislation solely devoted to ending Parkinson’s. This is a historic moment for the Parkinson’s community!
The National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act will, for the first time, unite the federal government and private enterprises in a mission to prevent and cure Parkinson’s, alleviate financial and health burdens on American families, and ensure those living with the disease have access to the care they need.
This bipartisan legislation is led by Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL). The Parkinson’s community is thankful for its leadership.
This bill will go through the traditional congressional process and will need to be voted on by the House. A Senate’s companion bill will be introduced in the coming weeks, because it is standard congressional procedure for both chambers of Congress to pass the bill before it can go to the President for signature.
Parkinson’s is a disease that requires a national effort to cure and prevent. Parkinson’s costs the U.S. $52 billion every year, half of which is shouldered by the federal government, and that annual cost is expected to grow to $80 billion by the year 2037.
A national plan to end Parkinson’s has the potential to:
The public-private advisory council created as part of this legislation will report every year to Congress on their progress and impact in ending Parkinson’s. This is the kind of forward-looking strategy and responsible accountability the Parkinson’s community needs and deserves.
The Parkinson’s Foundation is a member of the Unified Parkinson’s Advocacy Council (UPAC), a collection of nearly 30 Parkinson’s organizations that come together to help shape federal and state public policy in ways that support the Parkinson’s community. There will be many opportunities for all of us to engage our Members of Congress on this legislation and have conversations about the bill and its intended impact, and we will begin to communicate those opportunities in the coming weeks.
Content provided by The Michael J. Fox Foundation
We will update this blog and our social media channels as the legislation advances, so stay tuned! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Though there is still a lot we don’t know about Parkinson’s disease (PD), therapies aimed at modifying disease progression are poised for major breakthroughs. Researchers are excited about the potential of current studies to improve, slow or someday stop PD.
This article is based on Research Update: Working to Halt PD, a Parkinson’s Foundation Expert Briefing webinar presented by Lorraine Kalia, MD, PhD, FRCPC, assistant professor in the Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto and scientist at Toronto Western Research Institute and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease.
Parkinson’s is not a static condition — it's an intricate, progressive disease that evolves over time. Uncovering its many complexities is one of the challenges PD researchers face as they work toward halting its progression.
As people age, the loss of some brain cells is expected. In Parkinson’s this loss happens at a much faster rate. Neurodegeneration, the progressive loss of neurons that produce dopamine — a feel-good chemical related to movement, mood and more — is tied to movement and non-movement symptoms that develop in PD. As time progresses, new symptoms may develop or worsen.
Right now, we have therapies that can treat Parkinson’s symptoms — lessening tremor, easing mobility, improving mood and more — but we can’t stop the disease. Research is at the beginning stages of discovering disease-modifying therapies that might slow or stop the loss of dopamine-producing neurons.
Therapies that can potentially change the course of Parkinson’s are rapidly evolving. A 2023 analysis of 139 PD drug therapy clinical trials registered as active on the ClinicalTrials.gov website showed 76 were investigating symptomatic treatments and another 63 were exploring disease-modifying therapies.
Though these therapies are still on the horizon for use in PD, the first drug to change the course of multiple sclerosis (MS) — a condition that affects a person’s spinal cord and brain and spine — was discovered in 1993. Now, there are more than 20 disease-modifying therapies for MS. One reason medications to slow MS progression have been so successful is that scientists have a way to identify the disease and observe its response to therapies. This is known as a biomarker.
Researchers are beginning to discover possible biomarkers related to Parkinson's. PD is tied to the abnormal clumping of a protein called alpha-synuclein in the brain. Alpha-synuclein can act as a biomarker in PD. Reliable biomarkers can potentially lead to the ability to diagnose Parkinson’ sooner, track disease progression and help researchers design and test therapies that might change the course of the disease.
Neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s — progressive damage to normal, healthy brain cells — can cause cell dysfunction and death. This process may be reversible. Cell protection is an approach that seeks to slow or prevent this process.
Areas of research that focus on cell protection are expected to show the most progress in the near future. They include:
One of the most important PD symptom management tools, it improves heart, muscle and bone health, lung function, as well as cognitive and mental health. Exercise can also reduce the risk of fractures and falls. Research shows it can also help maintain movement in Parkinson’s, slow disease progression and improve symptoms; it may also provide cell protection.
Studies suggest exercise might reduce inflammation in PD and increase growth factors — proteins that stimulate cell growth and influence how a cell functions.
This protein is abundant in the brain. Though it’s unclear why, alpha-synuclein malfunctions in PD and the proteins start to misfold and stick together, forming increasing buildups. These ultimately form Lewy bodies.
Brain cells are complex and require several healthy components to function. Researchers think malformed alpha-synuclein can disrupt these cell functions and can impact nearby brain cells. Targeting misfolded alpha-synuclein may protect brain cells from dying. There are many potential ways to do this. Researchers are currently exploring prescription therapies that could:
There is a connection between genetics and Parkinson’s. GBA is the most common Parkinson's-related gene, occurring in 5 to 10% of people with PD. Carriers may experience PD symptoms at an earlier age compared to those who do not have a genetic form of PD. LRRK2 is involved in about 5% of people with a family history of Parkinson’s. Carriers may have milder symptoms of dementia and depression.
Lysosome, one of the disposal systems of the cell, is an enzyme that breaks down and gets rid of waste. One thing it may get rid of is alpha-synuclein. GBA lives within the lysosome. In people with a GBA gene mutation, the lysosome enzyme may be underactive. Researchers are currently exploring prescription therapies that could enhance lysosome activity and make it work better.
In Parkinson’s, a LRRK2 mutation impacts the autophagy lysosomal pathway, another cell waste disposal system, causing overactivity. Slowing this activity might reduce neurodegeneration. BIIB094 and BIIB122, intended to curb this excess activity, are currently in clinical trial.
Therapies already approved for other diseases may hold great potential in Parkinson’s. If proven effective, they can be fast-tracked to begin treating people with PD because they have already gone through clinical trials to demonstrate their safety.
More than one-third of the drugs in current PD clinical trials being tested as potential disease-modifying therapies are repurposed drugs.
Amantadine is an example of drug repurposing in Parkinson’s as it was originally developed as a flu treatment. In the 1960s, a woman with PD taking amantadine for the flu told her doctor her Parkinson’s symptoms felt much better. Subsequent clinical trials confirmed the benefits of amantadine on some PD symptoms. The medication was initially prescribed for movement symptoms, before levodopa became the most effective, widely available Parkinson’s drug. Today, amantadine is primarily used to treat dyskinesia.
Ambroxol is currently approved as a cough suppressant and is in clinical trial to enhance GBA activity. It has quickly moved from Phase II onto Phase III clinical trials.
GLP-1 receptor activators are another category of medications that may hold major disease-modifying potential, are currently making headlines. These drugs were primarily developed for diabetes (one of the most familiar brand names in the category is Ozempic).
GLP-1 receptor activators bind to a receptor on the outside of a cell, causing a chain of activities that can potentially improve memory, cell survival and effects of mitochondria, while reducing inflammation and alpha-synuclein. Exenatide is the first of these to be tested. Various versions of it, NLY01 (slow-release) and PT320 (pegylated), have been or are in clinical trials.
Two related medications, Liraglutide and Lixisenatide, have been or are also in clinical trials. The results of a phase II trial of Lixisenatide published in the April 3, 2024 New England Journal of Medicine are causing a lot of excitement. Lixisenatide therapy in participants with early PD resulted in less motor disability progression than placebo at 12 months. The study is poised to move on to a phase III trial.
Early studies to investigate whether brain cells could be replaced in Parkinson's isolated and removed dopamine-making stem cells from human fetal tissue and grafted them into the brains of research participants with PD. While the research showed promise, nuances and complications limited long-term research.
Remarkable advances in stem cell technology over the past decade have led to the ability to make dopamine-producing cells from a person’s blood or skin cells or from embryonic stem cells, unlocking a new generation of stem cell research. There are ongoing clinical trials in countries around the world, including the U.S., investigating potential benefits in Parkinson's.
Parkinson's disease looks different for different people. Different causes may spur its development. Multifaceted research is essential to moving forward.
Science must keep an open mind, follow the evidence and — when disease-modifying treatments become available — target people with the right treatments at the most impactful stages of the disease.
Ultimately, Parkinson’s is a global disease with symptoms and a rate of progression that is unique to each person living with it. It is important to pursue different avenues of research because there may be more than a single cure.
The Parkinson’s Foundation works improve care for people with PD and advance research toward a cure.
Learn about PD GENEration — a global genetics study that provides genetic testing and counseling at no cost for people with Parkinson’s.
Vivir bien con la enfermedad de Parkinson (EP) significa obtener el apoyo que necesita: desde herramientas que le ayuden a trabajar junto con su equipo de atención médica hasta recursos que lo empoderen. La Parkinson’s Foundation es su aliada de confianza para obtener información que puede ayudarle a navegar por cada etapa de esta enfermedad.
¿Sabía que nuestros 7 recursos principales están disponibles en inglés y español? Explore a continuación estos recursos diseñados para ayudar a facilitarle un poco más la vida a las personas con la enfermedad de Parkinson, a sus cuidadores y a sus familiares:
1. Línea de Ayuda
Llame al 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636), opción 3 para español o envíe un correo electrónico a Helpline@Parkinson.org para hacer sus preguntas sobre la EP a un especialista de la Línea de Ayuda, de lunes a viernes de 9 a.m. a 7 p.m., hora del Este.
Contactar a la Línea de Ayuda en inglés Contactar a la Línea de Ayuda en español
Visite nuestro sitio web para consultar un número ilimitado de artículos dedicados a la información más reciente sobre el Parkinson. Consulte nuestras páginas más populares: 10 signos, Etapas del Parkinson y Levodopa.
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3. Eventos en línea
Inscríbase a un evento en línea diseñado para usted. ¿Listo para aprender algo nuevo ahora mismo? Explore nuestra impresionante colección de eventos grabados:
Ver eventos en inglés Ver eventos en español
4. Biblioteca de la EP
Lea información detallada acerca de la EP en nuestra colección de publicaciones gratuitas. Adéntrese en nuestros mejores contenidos en español: El libro Cuidado y manejo, la hoja informativa Fatiga y trastornos del sueño y nuestras Recomendaciones de ejercicio.
Visitar nuestra Biblioteca de la EP en inglés Visitar nuestra Biblioteca de la EP en español
5. Videos
Descubra nuestro Canal en Español: Recursos para ti, canal de YouTube. Comience con
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6. Podcast
Hablamos de lo último en la investigación, el ejercicio y los tratamientos de la EP a lo largo de nuestra serie de podcast. Los episodios más populares en español incluyen Los beneficios de la fisioterapia y Dónde acudir para obtener recursos y apoyo como cuidadores. Suscríbase ahora.
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7. Blog
Visite nuestro blog para leer artículos que destacan los temas más recientes sobre el Parkinson: desde investigaciones hasta consejos para ayudarle a vivir mejor con el Parkinson.
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Recuerde participar con nosotros en este Mes de la Concientización sobre el Parkinson compartiendo su ABC de la EP y lea nuestras ideas para publicaciones en redes sociales en nuestro kit de herramientas en español.
A clinical trial shows that an ultrasound treatment can help with involuntary and impaired movement for people with Parkinson’s.
People with Parkinson’s disease (PD) experienced significant improvement in tremors, mobility, and other movement symptoms after undergoing a minimally invasive procedure using focused ultrasound, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has become the main surgical treatment for people with PD who do not fully respond to levodopa. It involves the invasive surgical placement of tiny wires into the targeted brain area, which is then stimulated by sending electrical signals through the wires. Focused ultrasound is a treatment that emits high-intensity sound waves into the brain, guided by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Where these waves cross, they create high energy, which creates heat, destroying a specific area in the brain connected to tremor. It is considered non-invasive because it does not involve incisions or holes in the skull.
Both treatments have pros and cons.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved focused ultrasound as a Parkinson’s treatment for those with movement symptoms mainly on one side of the body. However, most people with Parkinson’s have movement symptoms on both sides of the body. This study included people who have symptoms on both sides of the body.
The focused ultrasound targets a part of the brain called the globus pallidus internus (GPI), which is part of the basal ganglia, a network of brain structures that controls movement. In Parkinson’s, the loss of dopamine-producing neurons disrupts the normal functioning of the basal ganglia. This can ultimately lead to abnormal activity in the GPI and can contribute to the movement symptoms of Parkinson’s.
This study examined the safety and efficacy of focused ultrasound of the GPI in a randomized trial of 94 participants with PD movement symptoms. Only the side of the brain opposite the participant’s most symptomatic side was treated. Of the 94 participants, 69 were randomly selected to undergo the procedure, with 25 receiving the false treatment as a control.
Each participant received a clinical assessment for the severity and progression of their Parkinson's before and after treatment. Nearly 70% of participants in the treatment group had improvements in symptoms after three months of follow-up, compared to 32% in the control group who had an inactive procedure without focused ultrasound.
One year later, a follow-up assessment tracked 60 of the original 69 participants and found that 66% of those who received treatment and initial improvement in symptoms continued to have a positive response to the treatment. Additionally, of the 25 participants who initially had a placebo treatment, 20 chose to undergo treatment three months later. Of the 20 that chose treatment, 70% had a positive response at three months, and 57% had continued success one year later.
A third of the participants had no side effects. Among those who did, most participants experienced only some mild to moderate symptoms, including headaches, dizziness and nausea. However, one person experienced a serious complication related to the procedure: a nonfatal pulmonary embolism. At the three months check-up, adverse reactions were mild to moderate and included slurred speech, disturbances in walking, loss of taste, visual disturbance and facial weakness.
This treatment may be effective for improving physical symptoms of Parkinson’s. However, the long-term effects of the procedure are still not known. All participants in the study will be followed for five years to assess the effects and long-term safety of the procedure.
Although approved by the FDA, it will be years before we know the long-term effectiveness and impacts of focused ultrasound as a PD treatment. The Parkinson’s Foundation encourages people with PD to work with a movement disorders specialist to make sure a focused ultrasound is a good option.
There are an increasing number of sites offering focused ultrasound for Parkinson’s across the country. For a list of sites that offer the treatment, visit the Focused Ultrasound Foundation website. Be sure to ask about the site’s experience with treating Parkinson’s disease, specifically.
Of note, focused ultrasound is not universally covered by Medicare — eligibility and region vary when it comes to Medicare reimbursement. It will take time for the procedure to become more widely available and to be covered by insurance. Directly contact the center offering focused ultrasound in your area for specific information about insurance coverage.
The Parkinson’s Foundation believes in empowering the Parkinson’s community through education. Learn more about PD and the topics in this article below, or by calling our free Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636) for answers to your Parkinson’s questions.
No importa en qué punto se encuentre en su recorrido por la enfermedad de Parkinson, el movimiento habitual es una buena medicina. Los estudios demuestran que la incorporación de una rutina de ejercicio es esencial para el manejo de los síntomas de la enfermedad de Parkinson.
Since every person has a unique Parkinson’s disease (PD) experience, building a diverse team of health experts allows them to manage their PD symptoms and progression — and maximize quality of life. No one understood this concept better than Ruth Hagestuen RN, MA, the founder of the Parkinson’s Foundation Team Training program, an interactive program designed to train healthcare teams in PD care.
Ruth passed away on February 23, 2024. This article is dedicated to Ruth and how she shaped Parkinson’s care, ultimately evolving how the Parkinson’s Foundation works to bring access to care to more people with Parkinson’s.
In a 2018 podcast episode, Ruth spoke about the Team Training program and its design. “The reason we decided to launch this program is that people with Parkinson’s were going for care and were not able to find professionals that knew PD well enough to give state-of-the-art care,” Ruth said. “We want every person that goes to the program to understand the best we know to date about Parkinson’s.”
In 2000, Ruth joined the Parkinson’s Foundation as Vice President and Program Director, where she launched the Team Training program in 2003. She worked with affiliates nationally and internationally to develop strategies to better meet the needs of the PD community through research, education, care and outreach.
2023 marked 20 years for the Parkinson’s Foundation Team Training program. Since inception, more than 2,900 health care professionals have graduated from the program, which has been hosted in cities across the U.S. and offered virtually.
Ruth’s dream to train professionals continues to reach further, as Team Training alumni collectively treat nearly 200,000 people with Parkinson’s across the country each year.
Her legacy continues to impact people living with PD and the healthcare professionals who complete Team Training — including neurologists, nurses, social workers, rehab therapists and others.
“Ruth was a visionary in the Parkinson’s disease space. For decades, as a nurse she personally brought comfort and care to thousands of people living with the disease during her career, she ran one of the early leading PD centers in the U.S., and through Team Training, she helped train thousands of healthcare professionals,” said Eli Pollard, Parkinson’s Foundation Vice President and Chief Training and Education Officer. “She achieved so much and will forever inspire us at the Foundation to do more.”
Ruth’s dedication to helping people goes back to the beginning on her nursing career when she served as an Air Force nurse in the Vietnam War. Afterwards, she lived and worked for 13 years as a nurse and partner in developing health care programs in Madagascar and Bangladesh.
In 1987, she accepted the position as nurse coordinator and program manager of the multidisciplinary team in the Parkinson’s clinic at Methodist Hospital, which ultimately expanded to become the Struthers Parkinson’s Center, a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence, where Ruth worked as Program Director.
“Ruth was tenacious in her willingness and endurance in the pursuit to improve Parkinson’s care,” said Denise Beran, Parkinson’s Foundation Associate Director of Professional Programs. “It has been a privilege to know Ruth as a colleague and as a friend over the past 20 years, and it’s an honor to keep her legacy of professional training alive, continuously improving, seeking the best proven therapies and outcomes to share with health care professionals so they can provide the best possible care.”
As a speaker and writer, Ruth co-authored the book Health Connect, a Practical Guide to Community Outreach. She also co-authored two publications based on the effectiveness of team care education and facilitated outreach to underserved communities to provide culturally competent, interdisciplinary PD care — nationally and internationally. She was also the Parkinson’s Foundation consultant to the Edmond J Safra National Parkinson’s Wellness Initiative.
Ruth was also active in the International Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Society, where she served on the Pan-American Section Education Committee.
“Ruth embodied holistic nursing, recognizing the importance of looking beyond the physical symptoms of Parkinson’s. Her work in promoting interprofessional team care as best practice in Parkinson’s forever changed the landscape of care for families living with Parkinson’s.”
- Joan Gardner, RN, BSN, former colleague and life-long friend, former nursing faculty of Team Training
“Ruth was a creative individual with a passion for ensuring that all individuals with Parkinson’s received comprehensive interdisciplinary care. Her life’s work will always be recognized and celebrated within the Parkinson’s community. I am honored to call her my colleague and friend.”
- Rose Wichmann, PT, former colleague and life-long friend, former PT faculty of Team Training
“When I think about Ruth, she is the reminder to follow what you believe in, and in the end, you reach something even better and bigger than you imagined. She was a force within nursing, patient care and education. She advocated not only the education of people with Parkinson’s and their care partners, but also the education and growth of other medical professionals.
- Jenna Iseringhausen, MS, NP, AGPCNP-BC, mentored by Ruth and currently a nurse faculty of Team Training
The Parkinson’s Foundation remembers Ruth’s contribution to the Parkinson’s care field and her direct influence in helping shape Foundation programs that make life better for people with Parkinson’s. Ruth is survived by her wife, Bonnie, her children and grandchildren.
This month, we are honoring and celebrating our Parkinson’s Foundation volunteers. Every volunteer helps make a difference in the everyday lives of people living with Parkinson’s disease, whether it’s by helping organize a local community walk, serving as a research advocate providing feedback and collaborating with scientists on research studies, or speaking at a panel for a community education program. There are many opportunities to get involved with the Foundation.
In this episode, we highlight two volunteers, Tonia Smith, a public service advocate, member of the Parkinson’s Foundation People with Parkinson’s Advisory Council, and caregiver to her mother living with Parkinson’s disease, and Steve Sain, a retired engineer and a person living with Parkinson’s. They share their stories about how they became involved with the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Released: April 2, 2024
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