Santa Clarita Moves Together for Parkinson’s Disease
The National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) is holding the first annual “Moving Day,” a fundraising walk for Parkinson’s disease (PD) in Santa Clarita. Moving Day will be held at Central Park on May 14, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and will feature a Friends & Family Walk as well as a Charity 5K Run. Money raised through Moving Day will help improve the lives of people living with PD and families affected by the disease.
At Moving Day, participants can visit the “Movement Pavilion,” a tent with activities such as yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, dance and more. Studies show that movement is beneficial and proven to help manage the symptoms of PD, improving flexibility and mobility. The aim is to encourage people to stay active and move for better health.
“Moving Day is fun, it is great exercise and it’s educational,” adds Sarah Osborne, NPF LA Community Development Manager. “But mostly, the support of the community enables us to continue to make meaningful changes in the lives of those with Parkinson’s. We believe that ‘People who move change the world.’”
Participants in Moving Day become part of a nationwide movement to help every person diagnosed with PD live their best possible life now by supporting PD education and outreach, cutting-edge research aimed at better treatment and care for PD patients, advancement of clinical care through healthcare professional training, and raising general awareness about the disease. Moving Day also stays in the local community in the form of grant awards. Keck School of Medicine at USC’s 5K training team, run by Sarah Ingersoll, is a 2015 Moving Day grant recipient.
Steve and Irma Cunningham have been part of the USC 5K team for two years, and they also walk at Moving Day. Last year they completed the Moving Day Long Beach walk and raised $1,100 for people with Parkinson’s. This year they’re gearing up for Moving Day in Santa Clarita. Steve has Parkinson’s, but with consistent exercise and training with the 5K team, he remains active.
“It’s amazing and encouraging to have the opportunity to train with folks with Parkinson’s and their caregivers, friends and families who all go at their own pace,” said Irma. “We love the camaraderie and the sense of accomplishment.”
In 2015 Moving Day funded $1.25 million in mission services, focusing on addressing the unmet needs in the Parkinson’s community, expanding successful programs to new areas, and developing new programs to make life better for those living with Parkinson’s.
To learn more about Moving Day and how you, your family and friends, and/or your company can get involved, please visit www.MovingDayNorthLA.org. Moving Day is made possible, in part, through the generous support of our Moving Day National Partners: UCB, Right at Home, Orgi3n and Lundbeck; as well as our local sponsors, Boston Scientific, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, The Magazine of Santa Clarita, AbbVie and Medtronic. Additional sponsorship opportunities are still available.
About Parkinson’s Disease (PD)
Affecting an estimated one million Americans and four to six million worldwide, Parkinson’s Disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s and is the 14th leading cause of death in the United States. There is no cure for PD and 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the United States alone.
About the National Parkinson Foundation (NPF)
Founded in 1957, the National Parkinson Foundation’s mission is to make life better for people with Parkinson’s through expert care and research. NPF has funded more than $189 million in care, research and support services. For more information, visit www.parkinson.org, or call the NPF Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (473-4636).