Thank You for Supporting our 2021 Annual Appeal! I would like to thank everyone who donated during our Annual Appeal which began in November and ended in January. Your contributions totaling $19,972.43 will help tremendously as we continue current services and implement new ones. Without all of you, what we do for our Parkinson’s communities wouldn’t be possible. We hope 2022 is all you hope it will be!
Ann Marie Worman, Executive Director 2022 MoveIt! Walk Campaigns have Launched! PAC launched it’s MoveIt! Walk Charlotte and MoveIt! Walk Myrtle Beach fundraising pages on January 19th. There will be Parkinson’s specific exhibitors, raffle prizes, live music, movement therapy demonstrations and more. We are excited to see everyone in person at both locations and look forward to fun and successful events! 8th Annual MoveIt! Walk Charlotte
Date & Time: Saturday, April 16th | 8:30 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.
Location: Symphony Park - 4400 Sharon Road Charlotte, NC 28211 (behind SouthPark Mall)
Campaign Page: https://give.parkinsonassociation.org/moveitwalkclt2022
4th Annual MoveIt! Walk Myrtle Beach
Date & Time: Saturday, May 14th | 8:30 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.
Location: Grand Park (1011 Crabtree Lane Myrtle Beach, SC 29577)
Campaign Page: https://give.parkinsonassociation.org/moveitwalkmb2022 How You Can Help
* Register as an Individual Walker & Fundraise * Form or Join a Walk Team & Fundraise * Make a Donation toward the Event ![]() Watch PAC's 2022 MoveIt! Walks Virtual Orientation!
Save the Date for these Upcoming Fundraisers! February 22nd: "Painting with a Twist"
Stay tuned for more details.
February 24th: "Create Your Own Sweetheart Bouquet"
March 1st: "Mardis Gras"
We sincerely thank our community partners for hosting these events! Join PAC's FREE Virtual Programs for this Month! Educational Webinar
Date: Tuesday, February 8th at 6:00 PM
Topic: THRIVE Program Introduction
Facilitator: Dr. Leslie Wise, Physical Therapist & THRIVE Program Facilitator
To sign up, click on the green "REGISTER" button.
If prompted, please enter the following meeting information: ID: 834 1143 2053
Click here to learn more about PAC's Educational Events. If you need assistance registering for a program, you can call our office at 980-245-2786 or toll free at 1-866-903-PARK (7275), and a staff member will be happy to help you.
Partner Presentation
Date: Tuesday, February 15th at 1:30 PM
Topic: "Understanding OFF Episodes and Dyskinesia in Parkinson’s disease (PD)”
Facilitator: Dr. Sanjay Iyer, Medical Director, Memory & Movement Charlotte & Patient Advocate Kendall
To sign up, click on the green "REGISTER" button. (This session will not be recorded.)
If prompted, please enter the following meeting information: ID: 836 2483 7590
Click here to learn more about PAC's Partner Presentations.
We thank Supernus Pharmaceuticals for bringing this information to you! If you need assistance registering for a program, you can call our office at 980-245-2786 or toll free at 1-866-903-PARK (7275), and a staff member will be happy to help you.
Wellness Wednesday
Date: Wednesday, February 16th at 2:00 PM
Topic: "Mindfulness & Meditation" (You will be led through both a mindfulness exercise as well as a meditation practice.)
Facilitator: Aminta St Onge, 500 E-RYT, Senior Yoga Instructor & Therapist, & PAC's Gentle Yoga Instructor
To sign up, click on the green "REGISTER" button.
If prompted, please enter the following meeting information: Meeting ID: 842 1318 4823 | Passcode: 745792
Click here to learn more about PAC's Wellness Wednesday program. * Our Wellness Wednesday webinar takes place the third Wednesday of every month. *
If you need assistance registering for a program, you can call our office at 980-245-2786 or toll free at 1-866-903-PARK (7275), and a staff member will be happy to help you.
Educational Event
Date: Thursday, February 24th at 2:00 PM
Topic: "Hospice & Palliative Care"
Facilitator: Maggie Parker Ivancic, MSW, LCSWA, Center Coordinator & Clinical Social Worker, Movement Disorders Center, Dept. of Neurology, UNC Chapel Hil
To sign up, click on the green "REGISTER" button.
If prompted, please enter the following meeting information: Meeting ID: 848 5930 5850
Click here to learn more about PAC's Educational Events. ![]()
If you need assistance registering for a program, you can call our office at 980-245-2786 or toll free at 1-866-903-PARK (7275), and a staff member will be happy to help you. New Year, New Gentle Yoga Program! Schedule: 1st & 3rd Tuesdays at 12:30 P.M.
Location: First Presbyterian Church (102 South Central Avenue Belmont, NC 28012)
Instructor: Aminta St Onge
Click here to learn more about PAC's Movement Therapy Programs. PAC's Free Programs! Support for Individuals Living with PD & their Care Partners
We have numerous support groups across the Carolinas, if you would like to find out about one near you give us a call at 980-245-2786 and a trained staff member will assist you. Not ready for a support group? We can connect you one on one with a person with Parkinson’s through our Peer to Peer program.
Movement Therapy
To join one of our in person classes or our virtual Gentle Yoga class, click here to see all locations, dates and times. You’ll also find our recently updated list of regional exercise classes in this same section of our website.
* Disclaimers *
As a result of the pandemic, many meetings have been suspended until further notice, and others have pivoted to virtual meetings. Similarly, many classes or facilities are closed out of an abundance of caution for public safety.
We ask that you practice caution when participating in all programs - particularly exercise programs. Talk to your doctor about what program would be best for you, stay hydrated, exercise in a safe environment, move at your own pace, and try to exercise with a partner or an accredited instructor.
![]() New Support Groups
Brighton Gardens Meeting Day & Time: 1st Thursday at 6:00 P.M. Location: 6000 Park South Drive Charlotte, NC 28210 Contact Person: Jodi Valenstein 704-643-1400 / jodi.valenstein@sunriseseniorliving.com First Session: Tentatively in-person on February 3rd * RSVP is strongly encouraged as COVID-19 protocols and social distancing are in place.
Ambriant at Austin Village (in the Parlor) Meeting Day & Time: 3rd Wednesday at 2:00 P.M. Location: 980 Chestnut Lane Matthews, NC 28104 Contact Person: Maria Hagadorn 704-313-8743 / info@ambriantataustinvillage.org First Session: Tentatively in-person on February 16th * RSVP is strongly encouraged as COVID-19 protocols and social distancing are in place.
Morgan Chapel Baptist Church Meeting Day & Time: 3rd Wednesday at 1:00 P.M. Location: 2850 Hunting Country Road Tryon, NC 28782 Contact Person: Richard Kennedy 864-404-8001 / richardkennedy@hotmail.com Meeting Style: In Person
Coleman Public House Meeting Day & Time: 3rd Thursday at 12:00 P.M. Location: 427 West Coleman Boulevard Mt Pleasant, SC 29464 Contact Person: Marilyn Phillips Meeting Style: In Person
New Movement Therapy Program
Class Type: PWR! Moves Date & Time: Monday at 12:00 P.M. Location: Dedicated Physical Therapy and Wellness - 1014 Wade Hampton Boulevard, Suite 6, Greenville, SC 29609 Telephone Number: 864-203-3883 ![]() Available National Programs
Pedaling for Parkinson's
Live Class Schedule:
M/W/F with Tom: 11:30 AM CT via Zoom
T/TH/SA with John: 8:00 AM CT via Zoom
To join a class, Stanford Neurosciences Supportive Care Program Virtual Exercise Classes
To access the exercise class schedule, click here. Facebook Live Parkinson's Speech Exercises
Monday - Friday, 11:00 AM Tuesday, 7:00 PM To learn more, Smart Patients Parkinson's Disease Community In partnership with American Parkinson Disease Association (ADPA)
For more information, Parkinson's Community News "In the United States, the prevalence of Parkinson’s disease is higher in states with more lead pipes that carry water to households, according to a new study. The results add to a growing body of evidence that exposure to lead could increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s.
The study, “Lead service lines and Parkinson’s disease prevalence in U.S. States,” was published in Clinical Parkinsonism & Related Disorders."
"Research shows that regular exercise can reduce motor symptoms, slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease – and enhance the quality of life. But what are the best sports for people with the condition? We round up six activities that could help make a difference."
"Experiencing a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with an earlier age of Parkinson’s onset, but not with more severe disease-associated nerve cell loss or younger age of death, a study suggests. These findings, presented at the 2021 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Denver and online, suggest that TBI, a well-established risk factor for Parkinson’s, may lower the threshold of brain damage leading to the development of symptoms, the researchers noted.
The study, “Traumatic brain injury accelerates Parkinson’s disease onset without altering Parkinson’s neuropathology,” was published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia."
"What goes into the decision to have DBS surgery? In a new podcast episode funded by Medtronic, professor of neurosurgery Keyoumars Ashkan and Parkinson’s advocate Cathy Molohan discuss what to consider before undergoing deep brain stimulation"
Upcoming Events The American Parkinson’s Disease Association has a variety of educational webinars scheduled throughout the month of December.
For more information and to register for any of these upcoming sessions, click here.
Pacific Neuroscience Institute presents: "Everything Parkinson’s Webinar"
Monday, February 7th at 12:00 PM
To join, click here. Use the following meeting credentials if prompted: Webinar ID: 894 5881 7673 |Passcode: 695469
The Michael J. Fox Foundation presents: Topic: "Moving with Mood Changes in Aging and Parkinson's: A Look at Depression and Anxiety"
Thursday, February 17th at 12:00 P.M.
To register, click here.
Additional ongoing programs are listed below. Note that some of these programs are not facilitated by Parkinson Association of the Carolinas (PAC) and are subject to change. Click the links for more details. Local Studies & Trials Effects of Restrictions from COVID-19 on Physical Activity Levels among individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD)
The goal of the study is to understand how restrictions from COVID-19 effected physical activity levels in those with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Physical activity has been known to improve many symptoms in patients with PD. In this study, you will participate in one (1) virtual meeting. In total, this study will require around 30-45 minutes of your time.
You will be asked to answer surveys about your current physical activity level, cognitive abilities, and balance confidence. Following the questionnaires, you will be asked questions about how COVID 19 has affected your ability to participate in physical activity.
If you have any concerns about the study, you can contact: PI: Jared W. Skinner at 828-262-2512 or skinnerjw@appstate.edu.
Acute Effects of Exercise on Autonomic Function in Parkinson's Disease (PD)
Contacts:
LSVT Global and CurePSP are partnering with Google for new study called Project Euphonia. Project Euphonia is looking for volunteers with moderate to severe speech disorders associated with Parkinson’s (or other Parkinsonism-related diagnoses) to participate in this new study involving recording spoken phrases to help improve automatic speech recognition software (e.g. phones, computers, devices).
If you are interested in learning more about Project Euphonia, click here.
Please contact project.euphonia@lsvtglobal.com with any questions.
The Social Communication and Neuroscience Lab at East Carolina University is looking for individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) to participate in a online research survey. Participation involves completion of a survey that consists of five short questionnaires about mental health, demographic variables, and coping during the COVID-19 pandemic and takes about 15-20 minutes to complete.
To access the survey, click here.
For questions, contact Kathrin Rothermich at 252-744-2329 or rothermichk17@ecu.edu.
Wake Forest Baptist Health is conducting a study of light therapy in patients with Parkinson's Disease to improve sleep.
To learn more about this study, click here.
For more information, contact Study Coordinator: Carolina Burgos Aguilar at caguilar@wakehealth.edu or 336-713-2603.
The MUSC Movement Disorders Program currently has five open studies related to Parkinson's disease (PD).
For more information, contact either of the following individuals:
To view the current list of studies, click here. PAC's Toll-Free Resource Line is here to Help! Staff Answered Toll-Free Resource Line
For more information, click on the green "LEARN MORE" button. Support PAC's Cost-Free Programs!
How You Can Support PAC Volunteer with PAC
There are a variety of opportunities for individuals to volunteer with PAC in both an ongoing and/or one-time manner. Below is a list of available opportunities.
For more information about PAC's volunteer program and ways to get involved with the organization, click on the green "VOLUNTEER" button. You can also email Associate Director Lauren Tankersly at ltankersly@parkinsonassociation.org or call 980-245-2848.
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Consider selecting Parkinson Association of the Carolinas as your nonprofit on AmazonSmile, and Amazon will donate a portion of your purchase to PAC. Click here to get started.
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