2025 was a remarkable year for the Parkinson’s Foundation. Over the course of 365 days, we advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD) research while working hard to represent the one million people in the U.S. living with this neurodegenerative disease. We strengthened our connections among care partners and everyone serving the PD community.  

With your support, we launched new initiatives and vital PD resources, stayed fast in our commitment to improving PD care and research, and empowering the community through education and new resources.  

Thanks to YOU, here are the top 12 ways we made a difference this year:

1. Awarded more than $4.3 million in high-risk, high-reward research.

In a year when federal funding for disease research sharply declined, we significantly increased our investment in Parkinson’s research. We awarded more than $4.3 million across 44 grants. We are proud to fund scientists pursuing innovative studies across diverse areas of PD — driving the development of new therapies, treatments and ultimately a cure for the 10 million people worldwide living with this neurological disease.

Explore our ongoing research

2. Reached 30,000+ participants in our genetics study.

In 2025, PD GENEration: Powered by the Parkinson’s Foundation reached unprecedented numbers including: 

• Providing genetic testing and counseling to 30,000+ people with Parkinson’s, at no cost.

• Finding that approximately 12-13% of participants carry a genetic link to PD.

• Expanded study to a total of 77 testing sites worldwide and counting — adding sites in Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Peru and El Salvador.

We also launched an exciting new pilot program, PD Trial Navigator, to help advance PD GENEration’s goal of accelerating genetic-focused clinical trials. This program helps inform PD GENEration participants about Parkinson’s genetic trials they may qualify for based on their genetic results.

Enroll Now in PD GENEration

3. Launched new policy effort to accelerate PD treatments and care.

In 2025, we launched new policy initiatives aiming to empower the PD community through advocacy. Highlights include:

• Appointing Andi Lipstein Fristedt as our first Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Policy Officer to guide our policy efforts at the federal, state and local levels.

• Hosting a national roundtable on Parkinson’s care and innovation to identify national priorities to improve care for people with PD.

• Co-hosted the 2025 Parkinson's Policy Forum, where 250 people with PD, family members and advocates from 45 states gathered in Washington, D.C. to urge Congress to accelerate progress toward better treatments and a cure.

Sign up for our emails to keep up to date with advocacy efforts

4. Funded local Parkinson’s programs in 38 states.

We awarded more than $1 million in community grants for programs that help people living with PD across 38 states. Our 2025 grants fund local programs that provide exercise and educational support for people with PD and their care partners and address mental health needs. Since 2011, the Foundation has devoted more than $12.7 million in community-based programs, reaching a combined 81,000 people with PD and care partners.

 Pictured: Parkinson’s Foundation Community Grantee, Parkinson's Exercise Program For You, in Dana Point, CA, offers PD-tailored exercise programs. 

To find your nearest exercise or wellness class, visit your local chapter’s webpage or call our Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636).

5. Appointed our first-ever Chief Medical Officer.

This year, we welcomed Sneha Mantri, MD, MS, as Chief Medical Officer of the Parkinson’s Foundation. A nationally recognized movement disorders specialist and educator, Dr. Mantri believes in getting to know her patients and personalizing their treatments. “I'm excited to bring that philosophy of care to this role and address the needs of people with Parkinson’s on a national scale,” she said.

Look out for virtual events featuring Dr. Mantri in 2026.

Learn more about Dr. Mantri here

6. Moved two Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech drugs into trials.

Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech is a research-driven investment fund we support alongside Parkinson’s UK. In 2025 we shared two exciting advances:

• Project ASPro-PD became the first Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech project to enter a large phase 3 trial, assessing whether ambroxol (a common cough medicine ingredient) can slow the progression of Parkinson’s. This trial is the closest to delivering a new treatment.

• A new drug from NRG Therapeutics, designed to repair the mitochondria that power brain cells, is advancing to clinical trials for Parkinson’s and ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). This progress was made possible through early investment from the Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech, proving how our venture philanthropy model fuels innovation — turning bold ideas into real possibilities for people living with Parkinson’s and making investments less risky for future funders.

Learn more about the Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech

7. Launched new resources to help people optimize their PD care.

We know that healthcare appointments for Parkinson’s can feel overwhelming. Which is why we published new content and tips dedicated to help people with PD and care partners advocate for their best care. Use our Steps to Prepare for a Parkinson’s Appointment worksheet for a step-by-step guide to choosing your top three appointment topics. 

Learn how to optimize your Parkinson’s care

8. Raised $263,000 on Parkinson’s Foundation Day of Giving.

Our incredible community came together and made our third annual Day of Giving the most successful so far, raising double the amount raised in 2024. Our steadfast supporters made this special day a success, raising awareness and funds to support our mission to make life better for people with Parkinson’s disease.

Give today

9. Facilitated 3,949 community service hours through Parkinson’s Ambassadors.

Volunteers are essential to our mission and help us localize our reach. This year, we trained 239 new Parkinson’s Foundation Ambassadors and brought all our volunteers together at our national Volunteer Leadership Summit.

Etana Soloman joined our People with Parkinson’s Advisory Council to add her voice and help represent young caregivers and people like her mother who are in the later stages of PD. “Being able to care for my mom is truly an honor”  Read her story.

Find a volunteer opportunity near you

10. Reached 8.6 million visits to Parkinson.org and expanded Spanish-language engagement.

Parkinson.org reached a record of 8.6 million visits, including 1.3 million visits to our Spanish content. Every page visit represents an opportunity to connect people with life-changing resources, digital events and actionable ways to help make life better for people with Parkinson’s.

Hispanic and Latino members of the PD community face distinct barriers to living well with Parkinson’s. In 2025, we published new Spanish pages on dementia, caregiving, vertigo, depression, hospital safety and more (explore these pages in English, too: dementia, caregiving, vertigo, depression, hospital safety).

Explore our Spanish pages

Visit Parkinson.org now

11. 20,000 participants raised more than $8.3 million through community fundraising events.

Parkinson’s Foundation community fundraisers raised an impressive $8.3 million to advance PD research, access to care and life-changing resources in 2025. Together, every person who participates in Moving Day, A Walk for Parkinson’s, Parkinson’s Champion and Parkinson’s Revolution bring us closer to a cure.

Two years after his diagnosis, Brooke Ramsey found Moving Day Columbus. For the last 14 years his family has raised more than $117,000 to help make life better for people with Parkinson’s. Read his story.

Find a Moving Day near you

Become a Parkinson’s Champions

Join us for Parkinson’s Revolution

12. Engaged with our audience through two awareness campaigns.

In April, we introduced the world to PAM, your guide to Parkinson’s Awareness Month. To raise PD awareness, PAM shared essential information, tips and resources about PD on our social media channels and website.

In April we: 

• Posted 5 new videos highlighting PD facts everyone should know.
• Reached 2+ million visits to Parkinson.org — our most page views in a single month!
• Earned 914,000 impressions across our social media posts

Follow us on social media to help spread Parkinson’s awareness

In November, for National Family Caregivers Month, we amplified the diverse experiences of caregiving through our Real Care. Anywhere. campaign. We provided tailored resources for three types of caregivers including those caring for someone living with Parkinson’s, those providing care from a distance and those managing PD alone.

Explore our care partner resources

We are setting bold goals for 2026 to create an even greater impact on the Parkinson’s community — and your support makes it possible.

Donate today

For some, a Parkinson’s disease (PD) diagnosis can bring a sense of relief, finally providing answers to symptoms that had long gone unexplained. Others diagnosed with PD may be stunned, struggling with what the future may look like. As you begin to process the wide range of emotions that can accompany a diagnosis, it’s important to remember you are not alone.

In this Neuro Talk, Chief Scientific Officer James Beck, PhD, dives into the science behind Parkinson’s disease, treatment and medication options and ways to find support and live well with PD after a diagnosis.

If you or a loved one has been recently diagnosed with PD, explore our resources designed to help you build a better life with Parkinson’s.

Difficulty walking and maintaining stability can be common challenges for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD), increasing the risk of falls and impacting independence. While fall risks are more commonly associated with advanced Parkinson’s, fall prevention — including exercise tailored to your needs — should begin at diagnosis. Learn how Parkinson’s affects walking (gait) and balance and how you can harness movement as medicine. 

The following article is based on a Parkinson’s Foundation Expert Briefing  exploring how to improve movement and balance, hosted by Mitra Afshari, MD, MPH, director of the Neurointerventional Program for Movement Disorders at University of Illinois at Chicago. 

The Rise of Parkinson’s  

Parkinson’s is the world’s fastest-growing neurological disease. The number of people living with PD is expected to more than double between 2021 and 2050, reaching more than 25 million globally by 2050.   

Trouble walking (gait), balance and falls are some of the most frustrating Parkinson’s symptoms. Eighty percent of falls, which are the leading cause of hospital visits, nursing home placement and death in Parkinson’s, happen in the home. As Parkinson’s becomes more widespread, taking steps to address its impact on movement and safety is more important than ever. 

What causes falls in PD? 

Dopamine is a brain chemical involved in movement, coordination and the ability to make precise movements. Parkinson’s is linked to a progressive loss of dopamine and other chemicals. These brain changes affect the whole body — most noticeably movement. PD symptoms that impact how a person walks include:  

• Smaller, slower movements (bradykinesia) that lead to short, shuffling steps or foot dragging  

• Painful cramping or spasms (dystonia) 

• Erratic, writhing movements (dyskinesia) 

• Stooped posture 

• Reduced arm swing (rigidity) 

• Fear of falling 

• Loss of the ability to walk with minimal attention (gait automaticity) 

Some walking problems in PD can come and go, seemingly out of nowhere. These include:  

• Short, rapid acceleration of steps (festination) 

• Sporadic loss of balance (postural instability), often resulting in backwards falls 

• Temporary inability to start moving (freezing)  

Freezing, which affects 50% of all people with Parkinson’s, and 80% of people with advanced PD, is a major contributor to falls. Freezing can seem like a car stalling or failing to start — a person intends to move but their feet feel glued to the floor. This can happen when starting to walk or mid-walk, resulting in stuttering steps or a complete stop. 

Early Steps Toward Fall Prevention Are Crucial 

Studies show 60% of people with Parkinson's fall once in a year, while nearly 40% have recurring falls in a year. These can lead to injury and fractures— most commonly hip fractures — immobility, lower quality of life and loss of independence. Falls are the leading cause of nursing home placement. In the U.S., the cost for a single, fall-related hospitalization is nearly equivalent to the total annual financial cost for a person living with PD.  

There are no medications that slow the progression of Parkinson’s. Exercise, however, not only slows PD progression, but it can also maintain and improve mobility, flexibility and balance. Research shows regular exercise in Parkinson’s can also improve symptoms and enhance neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to learn new pathways. 

How to Keep Moving, Safely 

Parkinson’s affects the body in different ways as time goes on — impacting stability, balance, turning ability, walking pace and more — so preventative treatment to maintain function needs to start early and often involves different strategies over time.  

A physical therapist with Parkinson’s experience can help target your specific needs through personalized exercises and program recommendations and can pivot when symptoms require.  

Symptom-management Strategies 

Usually, a combination of exercise techniques can help address movement symptoms, balance and gait. Tools and strategies shown to have short-term benefit include:  

• Martial arts, including Tai Chi and karate, and dance, including tango, ballroom dance and waltz 

• Conventional physical therapy 

• Pole walking, also called Nordic walking, and aerobic exercise 

• Exergaming (exercise combined with gaming or a reward) and combined gait and balance training  

• Strategy training (learning complex movement and cueing strategies), resistance training and hydrotherapy, or aquatic rehabilitation, can benefit balance. 

• Treadmill training can increase gait through stride length, improving mobility and walking speed. It may not benefit walking pace or distance.  

Studies show integrating cognitive engagement — using feedback, cues, reward and motivation — seems to provide added benefit to balance training exercises. 

Tips to Tackle Freezing 

Safely managing freezing episodes can also prevent injuries and falls. These tips can help: 

• Keep a tidy, organized home.  Learn more about Home Safety and Parkinson’s.  

• Create wide, clutter-free, level walking paths. 

• Minimize distractions, look forward, rather than at the freezing foot, and take extra care when turning or approaching thresholds.  

• Count your steps out loud, or marching to music, a metronome or another sound cue. 

• Imagine stepping over a line or use blue painters’ tape to navigate areas where freezing occurs frequently. 

• Reset by asking your care partner to touch your leg or take a step back with the foot that is freezing. 

“Off” time, when Parkinson's medications wear off and symptoms are stronger, can also increase freezing. Taking your prescribed medication on time, as directed can keep dopamine levels stable and increase safety.  

If you’re not sure what’s causing your freezing episodes, ask your doctor about an “on-off” exam. You may be asked not to take your PD medication before your visit so the doctor can see how symptoms affect you without it. 

Learn more about Freezing

How Science is Uncovering Hope in Exercise 

Researchers are exploring exercise as medicine for people with Parkinson’s, including the many possibilities of treadmill training with perturbations (introduced elements to challenge balance or gait) including: 

• Using a safety harness with a special treadmill and introducing added movements to create imbalance. A person adapts and adjusts to regain their balance. This can increase stability and improve gait. 

• Incorporating two independently moving belts to allow each side of the treadmill to operate at different speeds to improve gait. 

New studies that are showing benefits for people with Parkinson’s include: 

• SPARX3: This phase 3 clinical trial currently is enrolling people with early PD at 25 sites across the U.S. is exploring whether high-intensity aerobic exercise can slow Parkinson's progression in people not yet taking medication. Phase 2 showed preliminary evidence that high-intensity exercise may be neuroprotective. 

• Park-in-Shape: This phase 2 trial revealed that six months of exercise on a stationary bike using game-like elements to keep the rider engaged offered significant PD symptom relief. 

• CYCLE-II: Results for this phase 3 study, which looked at whether long-term, home-based aerobic exercise slows Parkinson’s progression, is pending. 

Other researchers are exploring new models of care. One possibility explores providing consultative physical therapy services over telemedicine to keep people moving well from diagnosis through the course of PD. Another explores implementing a home-based fall prevention program. 

Balance and Stability Resources 

• Check out Home Safety recommendations for ways to keep your home easily accessible. 

• Listen to the Stall the Fall podcast episode to learn more strategies to minimize falls. 

• Read the Physical Therapy and PD fact sheet to learn more about working with a physical therapist. 

• Keep moving with our on-demand PD Health @ Home Fitness Friday videos. 

• Read the Fall Prevention in Parkinson’s fact sheet. 

We are here to help. Call our Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636) for referrals to professionals and resources in your area.