Parkinson’s Awareness Week

Parkinson’s Awareness Week aims to raise awareness about this potentially devastating condition.

During this week, individuals are encouraged to hold their own event with family, friends and colleagues. These events support the awareness and research work for Parkinson’s UK (formerly known as the Parkinson’s Disease Society).

Funding is needed for vital research work into the causes and treatments of Parkinson’s Disease. Parkinson’s UK also works to support those living day to day with this condition.

Each year Parkinson’s Awareness Week focuses on a different aspect of this condition. For example during 2014, the main focus was ‘Control’, which raised awareness about how people with this disease control and live with the symptoms and progressive nature of Parkinson’s.

Another focus of Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Week is to increase media coverage of this condition. The greater the coverage the more people know what it is like to live or care for somebody with Parkinson’s Disease.

Parkinson’s Disease In Brief

What is Parkinson’s Disease?

A progressive neurological condition, Parkinson’s Disease affects actions including talking, walking and writing. Parkinson’s Disease is named after a London doctor, Dr James Parkinson (1755-1824) who identified Parkinson’s Disease as a condition in its own right.

What is Parkinsonism?

Other disorders and Diseases can also include the major symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. Parkinsonism is the term given to the collective symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease and other related Diseases. Often referred to as idiopathic* Parkinson’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease is the most common form of parkinsonism. Other types of parkinsonism include progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and multiple system atrophy (MSA). Both progressive supra nuclear and multiple system atrophy are rarer conditions than Parkinson’s Disease.

*idiopathic referring to unknown cause.