“Who are you walking for?” Annual walk to raise funds for Parkinson’s research

June 14, 2012 - PRLog -- Vancouver, BC – Thousands of people across British Columbia can now register online to start raising funds for the 17th annual Parkinson SuperWalk which will take place this September. The largest fundraiser in the province will be in Vancouver’s Stanley Park (at Ceperley Playground) on Sunday, September 9, 2012, at 10am. On SuperWalk day, participants will either walk for themselves, or for someone they know and love who is suffering with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Participants can register as an individual or a team by visiting www.parkinson.bc.ca.

Parkinson SuperWalk is the single most important national fundraising event of the year for Parkinson Societies in Canada. The goal is to raise more than $3 million nationally and $325,000 in BC.  Parkinson SuperWalk will take place in 90 communities across Canada, with 14 events being held in BC throughout September (Chilliwack, Duncan, Fraser Valley, Invermere, Kamloops, Kelowna, Maple Ridge, Nelson, Parksville, Prince George, Salmon Arm, Surrey and Vernon).  If there is no organized walk in a specific community, supporters can still be involved by registering as a virtual walker.

Proceeds from SuperWalk go to research and support services provided by Parkinson Society British Columbia (PSBC). For families living with Parkinson’s disease, the walk represents not only the opportunity to raise funds for research, education and support; it also gives walkers the chance to meet other people who are living with the effects of this devastating condition.

“I am walking for my father,” said Alexandra Rice who has seen him suffer the effects of Parkinson’s. This year will be her 10th SuperWalk. “My dad was diagnosed with early onset PD in 1998 at the age of 50,” says Alexandra, whose father was a lawyer at the time.  “He became a Supreme Court Judge until his retirement and kept working throughout, but of course there are side effects. The medications have changed his personality, he suffers from sleep deprivation and it’s awful to see him go through bouts of depression.”

Alexandra is not only a Vice-Chair on the PSBC Board of Directors but also a proud member of the Rice Rockets, a SuperWalk team that takes part in the Vancouver event every year. “My dad feels a great sense of community at the walk and it’s important to our family and friends that we take part. As my mom says – our whole family has PD – and SuperWalk brings that extended family together.” The Rice Rockets, made up of five members of the Rice family (including Alexandra and her dad), will be participating in the Vancouver SuperWalk in Stanley Park on Sunday, September 9th at 10am.





Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s is the second most common degenerative neurological disorder after Alzheimer’s.  Parkinson’s is a cruel disease that affects not only the person with Parkinson’s but their entire family.  The symptoms are many and include tremor, rigidity, postural instability, difficulty talking, walking and swallowing, reduced facial expression, and in some cases, depression and dementia.  It can strike anyone – women and men of all ages, ethnic backgrounds and lifestyles.  There is currently no known cure.

Parkinson Society British Columbia
Established in 1969, Parkinson Society British Columbia is a not-for-profit charitable organization that exists to address the personal and social consequences of Parkinson's disease through education, community outreach, scientific research, advocacy and public awareness.

It is estimated that 11,000 British Columbians live with Parkinson's and more than 100,000 in Canada. Research is ongoing around the world to determine the cause of the disease and ultimately find a cure. In British Columbia, the Pacific Parkinson’s Research Centre located at the University of British Columbia conducts the largest peer-reviewed Parkinson's research program in Canada, under the direction of Dr. A. Jon Stoessl, an internationally renowned expert on Parkinson's disease.


http://www.parkinson.bc.ca


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Reference or to arrange an interview with Alexandra Rice:
Amanda Bates                  
Curve Communications            
T: 604.248.4202            
C: 604.306.0027               
E: amanda@curvecommunications.com