Today is the final day of April. Thirty days that under our current living conditions have seemed like one hundred. Most of us are ready for April to end and move into May. We’re hopeful it will be better.
April is also a huge month in our Parkinson’s community. It’s thirty days where PD is out in front with it’s campaigns to raise money and awareness for the disease. April is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month.
Like everything else these days, Parkinson’s has taken a back seat to the current Covid-19 pandemic. You watch the news, read the newspaper, talk with family/friends and it’s all about the pandemic. All day, all the time is Covid-19….and that’s more than fine. We’re all concerned about the pandemic and the effects it will have on our lives. We’re worried about our survival.
But that doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten about Parkinson’s!
Even on this blog, which got it’s start because of Parkinson’s Disease and is named due to the disease, awareness month has taken a back seat. At one time, the Hippy Shakes honored the month by running a thirty day series of Parkinson’s articles. In 2020, this will be the only piece recognizing P.D.
But, again…that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about Parkinson’s!
I think about it every day when I take my first pill. I’m reminded of it whenever I notice one of Parkinson’s many symptoms. I obsess about whenever I see one of those damn commercials with the dude having Parkinson’s hallucinations.
I told you I haven’t forgotten about Parkinson Disease. It’s never far away.
Parkinson’s Disease and it’s foundation have been hit hard by the pandemic in another way. Spring is the start of the charity walk season for all diseases. It’s the biggest way that they raise money to help fight the disease, fund programs to help those suffering and help find a cure. Like everything else in life, those walks have been cancelled. It’s hard to maintain social distancing when you’re cruising the lakefront side by side.
The Parkinson’s Foundation had scheduled more than twenty of it’s Moving Day walks for this Spring. To replace those walks, there will be a virtual walk on May 9. We’ve been seeing that with other organizations who have had balls or galas cancelled due to Covid-19. One good thing about a virtual event is it’ll give access to people who haven’t been able to come to any Moving Days due to poor health or location.
Another Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month has come and gone. Sorry for the lack of attention you’ve been given. Hopefully, by April of next year, Covid-19 will be gone and you can be front and center again. Even better, hopefully by April of next year, there will be a cure for both.
Related Post: Alan Alda’s life proves that a Parkinson’s diagnosis is not a death sentence
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Filed under:
Health, Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Parkinsons, Wellness
Tags:
Covid-19, Moving Day, Pandemic