Acadia Supports Events to Mark Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month in U.S.

Acadia Pharmaceuticals is marking Parkinson’s Awareness Month by supporting a host of events and activities in April throughout the U.S. Although some events have occurred, several are annual events needing participation.

“We encourage patients and their families to attend an event, which includes important resources to help them navigate their unique journey with Parkinson’s,” said Steve Davis, Acadia’s CEO, in a news release.

“We are collaborating and pledging our support to Parkinson’s patient advocacy organizations across the country to help make educational events possible year round, because we understand how critical this support and engagement can be for patients and their caregivers,” he said.

World Parkinson’s Awareness Day was April 11.

Sponsored events include:

• Moving Day walks hosted by the Parkinson’s Foundation. Created in 2011 to celebrate patient movement, and to raise funds and awareness of a disease that affects nearly one million U.S. residents and 10 million people globally, the nationwide events are scheduled for April 27 through May 19.
  The event features a family-friendly walk course, a children’s area, a caregivers’ relaxation tent, and a “movement pavilion” with yoga, dance, Pilates, Tai Chi, and other activities. The money raised helps the foundation deliver quality care, fund cutting-edge research, and provide free resources for patients and their families. To date, the annual walks have raised nearly $22 million. Click here to find a walk or to start one.
  ”Moving Day walks are a critical component of the Parkinson’s Foundation’s efforts to raise money and help improve life for people affected by Parkinson’s disease,” said John Lehr, the foundation’s president and CEO. “We appreciate Acadia’s support to help make events including Moving Day possible.”

• The American Parkinson’s Disease Association’s Optimism Walks. Designed to mobilize and inspire, each walk of up to three miles is an opportunity for patients and advocates to help the organization raise funds to provide support, education, and research. To date, walks are slated through October. Go here to register or to find a walk.
• The Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinson’s Victory Summit. Held this year in Austin, Texas, on April 13, the upbeat educational and motivational symposium featured presentations from leading movement disorder neurologists and therapists.
• The Parkinson’s Foundation’s Centers for Excellence Leadership Conference brought together all 45 centers to discuss network updates, novel investigations, and the latest Parkinson’s topics. Held this year from April 3–5 in Chandler, Arizona, the conference fostered new ideas and partnerships among clinicians and scientists.
• The Parkinson’s Association of San Diego Step by Step 5K Walk on April 7 helped the association offer critical resources to roughly 60,000 patients and caregivers in San Diego County, California.

Acadia also continues its support for The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) Parkinson’s Disease Education Consortium, an alliance of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies committed to providing high-quality educational resources for the Parkinson’s community.

Acadia is focused on developing and commercializing novel therapies to treat unmet medical needs in central nervous system diseases such as Parkinson’s.