Portland, Ore. (Jan. 22, 2021)– Brian Grant Foundation (BGF) is dedicating February to people who have a parent with Parkinson’s. These “Kids of Parkinson’s” have unique needs in their journeys to support parents who have this incurable neurodegenerative disease. To help support this group of early to late adults BGF is providing online educational and networking events throughout the month to learn about Parkinson’s and meet others in the community.
For the first event on Tuesday, February 9 at 12pm PST, Ray Dorsey, MD, will be presenting Preventing Parkinson’s as part of BGF’s monthly Expert Q&A series presented by Kyowa Kirin. Dr. Dorsey, who is co-author of Ending Parkinson’s Disease and the David M. Levy Professor of Neurology and Director of the Center for Health + Technology at the University of Rochester, will discuss factors that contribute to a Parkinson’s diagnosis and steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing the disease.
On Thursday, February 11 at 6pm PST BGF will host an online roundtable discussion of people who have a parent with Parkinson’s. The roundtable will feature Jaydon Grant, son of Brian Grant and a standout football player at Oregon State University; Manju Bangalore, a physicist, actor, and founder of two nonprofits, Operation Period and Painting with Parkinson’s; and Mike McCastle, an American endurance athlete and strongman. Each will share their stories, from learning about their parents’ diagnosis to supporting them in their daily lives. The evening ends with a Q&A.
To register for these free online events, visit briangrant.org/events. Throughout the month, BGF will also be publishing Kids of Parkinson’s resources online at briangrant.org.
Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects cells in the brain that produce dopamine, a chemical messenger that helps to control movement. The outward signs of Parkinson’s may include tremors, slowness of movement, balance problems and rigidity. Though there is no cure for Parkinson’s, research has shown that regular exercise, healthy eating and social connections are important for managing the condition and improving quality of life with the disease.