Event aims to empower patients, celebrate End Parkinson’s Act
Congressman Gus Bilirakis to speak on impact of federal Parkinson's initiative
This fall, the Tampa Jewish Community Centers (JCCs) and Federation will host a symposium that aims to empower people with Parkinson’s disease by providing access to resources, the latest research, and opportunities to connect with the community.
“The National Parkinson’s Project: Empowerment and Action” will be held Oct. 27 at the Shanna and Bryan Glazer JCC in Tampa. It will also be streamed via Zoom, allowing people who are unable to attend in person to join. Participation is free, but signing up is required.
Florida congressman Gus Bilirakis, who helped pass the National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act, will be the symposium’s keynote speaker. He will speak about how this new law seeks to prevent, treat, and slow the progression of Parkinson’s.
“Events like the symposium are vital for helping the community identify the resources that are available to help individuals, families, and caregivers manage the effects of this disease,” Bilirakis said in a press release emailed to Parkinson’s News Today.
The End Parkinson’s Act bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden, will remain in effect until the end of 2035. It requires the U.S. health department to work on making care better for people with Parkinson’s and to review each year how well the country is handling the growing burden of the disease.
“Parkinson’s takes a terrible toll on the physical, emotional and economic well-being of everyone involved,” Bilirakis said. “The lack of treatment options leaves patients, families, and American taxpayers in a terrible quandary.”
Symposium to feature experts in Parkinson’s
“We’re grateful to Congressman Bilirakis for his continued advocacy and we encourage others to join us in the fight to combat and end this dreadful disease,” said Mark Gesner, PhD, The Maureen and Douglas Cohn executive director of the Tampa JCCs.
The symposium will also feature Robert Hauser, MD, discussing the current and future outlook of Parkinson’s, Yarema Bezchlibnyk, MD, PhD, covering functional neurosurgery, and Luis Miguel Oliveira, PhD, sharing the latest research on Parkinson’s and why volunteers are important.
The Tampa JCCs and Federation is home to the Philip Shayman Parkinson’s Program, which offers various activities for people with Parkinson’s and their families. These include exercise classes, support groups, voice therapy, fine motor skills workshops, educational events, brain games, and social gatherings.
The program seeks to improve physical health, enhance coping skills, and build a supportive community. “We recognize the tremendous value this program has in helping people with Parkinson’s live their best quality of life and we are determined to expand our efforts and impact,” Gesner said.
The symposium is organized by Tampa JCCs and Federation in collaboration with the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Tampa General Hospital, and University of South Florida Health.
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