SACRAMENTO, CA – The Parkinson’s Foundation will host its annual Moving Day Sacramento walk on Saturday, May 18, 2024, at Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park. More than 400 people are expected to take part in movement demonstrations and a 5K walk to beat Parkinson’s. The family-friendly, in-person event is one of 45 Moving Days taking place across the country in 2024. Funds raised through Moving Day support cutting-edge research, quality of care initiatives and education programs to improve the lives of people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and their families.
Moving Day is more than just a walk. It is a celebration of movement, which is critical in battling the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The event in Sacramento will be fun and inspiring, including demonstrations of dance and other movement disciplines to warm up the crowd for the walk. It is estimated that one million people in the U.S. are living with Parkinson’s, with approximately 90,000 people newly diagnosed each year. Moving Day events across the country have raised nearly $40 million supporting the Parkinson’s Foundation’s mission to make life better for people with Parkinson’s disease.
This year, the California Chapter of the Parkinson’s Foundation will honor Steve Fischlin, a person living with Parkinson’s disease, and Lisa Inselman, Steve’s partner and former Senior Vice President of Finance for Raley’s.
In 2018 Steve Fischlin was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at the age of 56 after experiencing tremors on his right side. Soon after, he retired from Raley’s as the Director of Merchandising, to concentrate on his health. Steve moves every day with the support of friends and family by walking, hiking, golfing, and yoga. He and Lisa also love spending time traveling across the country in their RV.
The next year, Steve and Lisa formed Team Fischelman in 2019 and participated in their first Moving Day event. Raising awareness and funds for the Parkinson’s Foundation allows them to contribute to the organization and make a positive impact Team Fischelman Strong has raised over $50,000 for Moving Day Sacramento over the past five years.
When asked why they support The Parkinson’s Foundation, Steve said “The Parkinson’s community reminds me that I am not alone and provides encouragement, inspiration, and the desire to keep moving.” Lisa added “Whether it is organizing events, reaching out to donors, raising funds, or spreading awareness, I am grateful for the opportunity to support Parkinson’s Foundation. Volunteering has always been a passion of mine. By dedicating my time and energy I have had the privilege of seeing firsthand the impact that the Parkinson’s Foundation has.”
Fundraising at the walk is important, but so is the social aspect. “Moving Day is vital not only because it is our largest fundraising event of the year, but because it brings the Parkinson’s community together,” said Gena Lennon, Senior Development Director for PF’s California Chapter. “Lisa and Steve are pillars in this community and their leadership and dedication is truly inspirational,” she continued.
To learn more about Moving Day Sacramento and how you, your family and friends, and your company can get involved, please visit MovingDaySacramento.org. Moving Day is made possible, in part, through the generous support of national and local partners.
About the Parkinson’s Foundation
The Parkinson’s Foundation makes life better for people with Parkinson’s disease by improving care and advancing research toward a cure. In everything we do, we build on the energy, experience and passion of our global Parkinson’s community. Since 1957, the Parkinson’s Foundation has invested more than $400 million in Parkinson’s research and clinical care. Connect with us on Parkinson.org, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or call (800) 4PD-INFO (473-4636).
About Parkinson’s Disease
Affecting an estimated one million Americans and 10 million worldwide, Parkinson’s disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s and is the 14th-leading cause of death in the United States. It is associated with a progressive loss of motor control (e.g., shaking or tremor at rest and lack of facial expression), as well as non-motor symptoms (e.g., depression and anxiety). There is no cure for Parkinson’s and 90,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the United States alone.
