The Parkinson's Foundation Midwest Chapter and Northwestern Medicine Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center present: Parkinson's Disease Patient and Family Symposium.

This program provides an overview of the current understanding of Parkinson's disease risk factors, exploring how genetics, lifestyle, and environmental influences may contribute to disease development. Attendees will learn about genetic risk factors and the latest genetic clinical trials, examine environmental and lifestyle factors associated with Parkinson's disease, and receive updates on emerging research and ongoing clinical trials shaping the future of prevention and treatment.

Speakers

Tanya Simuni, MD, FAAN
Northwestern Medicine Parkinson's Disease & Movement Disorders Center
A Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence

Danny Bega, MD, MSCI
Northwestern Medicine Parkinson's Disease & Movement Disorders Center
A Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence

Lucy Morse, MD
Northwestern Medicine Parkinson's Disease & Movement Disorders Center
A Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence

Ignacio Keller-Sarmiento, MD
Northwestern Medicine Parkinson's Disease & Movement Disorders Center
A Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence

Paulina Gonazalez-Latapi, MD, MsC
Northwestern Medicine Parkinson's Disease & Movement Disorders Center
A Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence

There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family, friends and the community.

The Parkinson's Foundation Midwest Chapter in partnership with Northwestern Medicine Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center presents: The Parkinson's Disease Patient and Family Symposium.

Check-in & Resource Fair* begins at 10:00 a.m. and the program starts at 10:30 a.m. 

Exercise is a powerful tool for managing Parkinson’s disease symptoms at every stage. This program explains how staying active supports movement, mood and thinking and may even slow disease progression. Participants will learn practical ways to build exercise into daily life for better mobility and overall well-being. 

*The Resource Fair will feature local Community Partners that provide services and support for the Parkinson’s Community.

Lunch will be served. Parking is available on site.

There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family, friends and the community. 

Check-in & Resource Fair* begins at 10:00 a.m. and the program starts at 10:45 a.m. 

Even after years of good symptom control, Parkinson's disease can take unexpected turns. This program explores the "mid-stride" changes that happen and offers strategies to manage them.  Learn about treatment options, when to adjust your care team, how to stay independent and supported as your needs change.

*The Resource Fair will feature local Community Partners that provide services and support for the Parkinson’s Community.

Speakers

Guy Schwartz, MD
Movement Disorders Neurologist
Co-Director, Stony Brook Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center
Stony Brook Medicine

Carine Maurer, MD, PhD, FAAN 
Movement Disorders Neurologist
Stony Brook Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center
Stony Brook Medicine

Lunch will be served. Parking available on site.

There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family, friends and the community. 

Check-in & Resource Fair* begins at 10:00 a.m. and the program starts at 10:30 a.m. 

Exercise is a powerful tool for managing Parkinson’s disease symptoms at every stage. This program explains how staying active supports movement, mood and thinking and may even slow disease progression. Participants will learn practical ways to build exercise into daily life for better mobility and overall well-being. 

*The Resource Fair will feature local Community Partners that provide services and support for the Parkinson’s Community.

Speakers

Vivian O. Smith
Fitness Coordinator/ RSB Certified, CDP, CADDCT

Ashley DiMaggio, MSN, RN
Founder & CEO | GuideWell Patient Advocates LLC

Dorinda Malcolm, MA,CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist | Founder & CEO Renew Speech Language Pathology, LLC

Lauren Avara Zahner, MS, OTR/L
Clinical Assistant Professor  |  Department of Occupational Therapy & Occupational Science Towson University

Lunch will be served. Parking is available on site.

There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family, friends and the community. 

Check-in starts at 11:30 am and the program starts at 12:30 pm. A complimentary boxed lunch will be provided.

Please join the Parkinson's Foundation Midwest Chapter in partnership with the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Movement Disorders Team, a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence, for our Parkinson's Disease Symposium: Building Your Parkinson’s Toolbox. 

This educational program will offer practical information and strategies to support everyday health and well-being, for those affected by Parkinson’s. Attendees will hear from experts on topics including sleep and fatigue, preparing for medical appointments, fall prevention/home safety, nutrition, and self-care for care partners. Throughout the day, participants can also connect with local vendors and community resources that provide valuable information. Whether you are navigating Parkinson's yourself or caring for a loved one, this program offers tools, education, and encouragement.

Speakers

Sheila Rane Eichenseer, MD, MS
Froedtert & MCW health network

Molly Sievers, DPT, NCS
Froedtert & MCW health network

Devri Lybeck, DPT
Froedtert & MCW health network

Katherin Kraiss, MS, RN, CD, CNSC
Froedtert & MCW health network

Charlene Thomas, RN 
Froedtert & MCW health network

Terry Walton, OTR
Froedtert & MCW health network

Erika Stadter, RN
Froedtert & MCW health network

There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family, friends and the community.

This program is a partnership with the Parkinson's Foundation Midwest Chapter and the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Movement Disorders Team- a Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence.

Thank you to our Sponsors. 

Check-in & Resource Fair begin at 12 pm and program begins at 1pm.

Managing Parkinson’s disease (PD) symptoms goes beyond traditional medications, with integrative health and holistic approaches offering additional support. This program introduces participants to options—such as massage, acupuncture, red light therapy, and CBD—that can help relieve symptoms and enhance daily well-being. By exploring integrative health's focus on root causes and whole-body wellness, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how these therapies can address symptoms and improve overall quality of life, providing a more balanced and individualized approach to PD management. 

Speaker: 
Kayla Daniel, MA OSU Wexner & the Movement Disorders Clinic at OSU Wexner

There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their family, friends and the community.

Thank you to our Sponsors.

Check-in & Resource Fair* begins at 11:00 a.m. and the program starts at 11:30 a.m. 

Speech and swallowing challenges are common in Parkinson’s, but they can be managed. Participants will learn about voice changes and swallowing difficulties, along with strategies to improve communication and address swallowing challenges. We’ll also discuss the effect of speech and swallowing therapy on quality of life.

*The Resource Fair will feature local Community Partners that provide services and support for the Parkinson’s Community.

Speakers

Suja Sadasivan, MD
Assistant Professor of Neurology
Boston University School of Medicine

Anne Quirk, MA, MS, CCC-SLP
True Self Speech Therapy

Sandra Aguiar, MS, CCC-SLP
Brown University Health

Movement demonstration by 
Angelina DiNardo, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Rhode Island Hospital Outpatient Rehabilitation

The large parking lot in front of the JCC will be available.

There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. This program is open to people with Parkinson's, their families, friends, and the community.

Parkinson's Foundation: The PD Solo Network - Living Alone While Living with PD

There are two sessions available: You are welcome to choose one or attend both.
– 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET
– 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET

Please note: These meetings are intended for individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease who live alone, by choice or circumstance – only. If this is not your situation, please contact the Parkinson’s Foundation Helpline to receive information about resources that best meet your needs. Call the Helpline at 1-800-473-4636 (1-800-4PD-INFO) or Helpline@Parkinson.org.

What is the PD Solo Network: 

A virtual network for people living with Parkinson's disease (PD) who live alone, by choice or circumstance. The purpose of this group is to create a community of support for those living without a care partner. People living with PD are the experts about what challenges, changes and accommodations are needed on a daily basis. This network will provide a place to share ideas, concerns, brainstorm strategies, suggestions, resources & to build relationships.

The Parkinson's Foundation is providing the initial funding and support to kick start this network. It will most likely become a very strong network that will operate independently although the Parkinson's Foundation will always be an entity of support & information for the participants.

2026 Meeting Date:

• December 8, 2026

There is no charge to attend, but registration is required in order to receive the Zoom link.

Parkinson's Foundation: The PD Solo Network - Living Alone While Living with PD

There are two sessions available: You are welcome to choose one or attend both.
– 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET
– 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET

Please note: These meetings are intended for individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease who live alone, by choice or circumstance – only. If this is not your situation, please contact the Parkinson’s Foundation Helpline to receive information about resources that best meet your needs. Call the Helpline at 1-800-473-4636 (1-800-4PD-INFO) or Helpline@Parkinson.org.

What is the PD Solo Network: 

A virtual network for people living with Parkinson's disease (PD) who live alone, by choice or circumstance. The purpose of this group is to create a community of support for those living without a care partner. People living with PD are the experts about what challenges, changes and accommodations are needed on a daily basis. This network will provide a place to share ideas, concerns, brainstorm strategies, suggestions, resources & to build relationships.

The Parkinson's Foundation is providing the initial funding and support to kick start this network. It will most likely become a very strong network that will operate independently although the Parkinson's Foundation will always be an entity of support & information for the participants.

2026 Meeting Dates:

• November 10, 2026
• December 8, 2026

There is no charge to attend, but registration is required in order to receive the Zoom link.

Parkinson's Foundation: The PD Solo Network - Living Alone While Living with PD

There are two sessions available: You are welcome to choose one or attend both.
– 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET
– 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET

Please note: These meetings are intended for individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease who live alone, by choice or circumstance – only. If this is not your situation, please contact the Parkinson’s Foundation Helpline to receive information about resources that best meet your needs. Call the Helpline at 1-800-473-4636 (1-800-4PD-INFO) or Helpline@Parkinson.org.

What is the PD Solo Network: 

A virtual network for people living with Parkinson's disease (PD) who live alone, by choice or circumstance. The purpose of this group is to create a community of support for those living without a care partner. People living with PD are the experts about what challenges, changes and accommodations are needed on a daily basis. This network will provide a place to share ideas, concerns, brainstorm strategies, suggestions, resources & to build relationships.

The Parkinson's Foundation is providing the initial funding and support to kick start this network. It will most likely become a very strong network that will operate independently although the Parkinson's Foundation will always be an entity of support & information for the participants.

2026 Meeting Dates:

• October 13, 2026
• November 10, 2026
• December 8, 2026

There is no charge to attend, but registration is required in order to receive the Zoom link.