‘Keep On Moving’ Video Marks World Parkinson’s Day This Saturday

To heighten awareness of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and inspire patients and their families, Bial Pharmaceuticals has produced a short video to mark World Parkinson’s Day this Saturday, April 11.

Called “Keep On Moving,” the production also seeks to destigmatize the neurodegenerative disease and show the diversity and accomplishments of people living with Parkinson’s. It’s part of a global campaign that Bial, based in Portugal, launched four years ago.

Parkinson’s affects about 7 to 10 million people worldwide, including about 1.2 million across Europe. As the disorder progresses, even everyday tasks can become difficult. The film’s overarching message, however, is that such challenges do not define the person experiencing them.

“Although Parkinson’s changes people’s lives, it’s important people don’t limit themselves or lose their self-esteem because of it,” Rui Sobral, head of Bial’s Global Parkinson’s Department, said in a press release. “With this campaign, we wanted to counter the negative portraits of people with Parkinson’s and show everyone what they can achieve. We hope the film encourages and empowers the millions of people living with Parkinson’s to never give up on pursuing their individual passions and ‘keep on moving.’”

The video features sets of individuals engaging in activities they enjoy, like playing guitar, drumming, drawing, or cooking. In each set, one person has PD, the other does not. Rather than highlight differences between them, the idea is to emphasize each patient’s intrinsic value as a human being.

“The hope is that by sharing these incredible stories, it will help everyone to appreciate what people with Parkinson’s are capable of overcoming, and inspire others to recognize that they are much more than their disease,” the release states.

This video is the fourth Bial has made since 2017 to mark World Parkinson’s Day, an annual event aimed at raising awareness of those with this disease and of their caregivers, and of research being conducted into Parkinson’s.

With more than 1.1 million cumulative views to date, these productions also seek to emphasize that, with support and understanding, patients can overcome most constraints linked to the disease.

The others videos are “Me at My Best,” “There’s No Right Rhythm for Life,” and “Speak Up for Parkinson’s.” Each production is between one to two minutes long.

The video “Me at My Best” shows patients focusing on everyday tasks they are able to do instead of what they cannot do. “There’s No Right Rhythm for Life” features patients dancing as they go about their daily chores, and “Speak Up for Parkinson’s” spotlights the vocal difficulties often experienced by patients, and how this particular symptom can be surmounted.

The awareness campaign is also featured on Bial’s website and across the company’s social media channels.