The Parkinson’s Foundation will host Moving Day Tucson on Saturday, November 11, 2023 at Udall Park. More than 150 people are expected to take part in movement demonstrations and a 1-mile walk to beat Parkinson’s. The family-friendly, in-person event is one of 45 Moving Days taking place across the country in 2023. Funds raised through Moving Day support cutting-edge research, improved quality of care and education programs to improve the lives of people with Parkinson’s disease 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 (PD). The event in Tucson will be fun and inspiring, including demonstrations of boxing 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 more than $40 million supporting the Parkinson’s Foundation’s mission to make life better for people with Parkinson’s disease.

This year the Southwest Chapter of the Parkinson’s Foundation will be honoring Dr. Reed, Move Disorder Specialist, Parkinson’s Wellness Clinic Tucson, at Moving Day Tucson. Before she ever thought about becoming a doctor, her connection with Parkinson’s began when her grandfather had Parkinson’s through the 1990s. Her pharmacist father took him to all his appointments, but it was consistently a struggle to get the medications right to control her grandfather’s symptoms. This made a lasting impression and was the foundation of her empathy and compassion for those with Parkinson’s.

Now, a generation later, she is the one guiding those with Parkinson’s in their journey. Improving quality of life for people with Parkinson’s is her calling. She’s more of an educator and guide than a traditional doctor who dictates, since it is no longer just about the pills.

Thankfully there are many newer medication options available, even a levodopa pump to deliver medication continuously for advancing disease. Deep brain stimulation, considered a “pacemaker for the brain”, is a surgical option. Most importantly, several Parkinson-specific programs for physical and speech therapy have been developed, including LSVT-BIG, LSVT-Loud, PWR! (Parkinson Wellness Recovery) Gym, Rock Steady Boxing, and Knock Out Boxing.

National organizations such as the Parkinson Foundation help to spread awareness, provide resources, raise funding and it’s events like Moving day that bring us all together.

One of the critical efforts supported by Moving Day donations is PD GENEration, a clinical study by the Parkinson’s Foundation. PD GENEration examines the genetic foundations of the disease, opening doors to new treatment approaches and, hopefully, a cure. The Foundation is seeking additional participants for the study, and more information will be available at the event.