If you haven’t heard by now, the whole month of April is dedicated to Parkinson’s awareness month, when an already energetic Parkinson’s community kicks it into high gear in the spirit of Parkinson’s disease awareness, bringing attention to the disease and the needs of the patient. An estimated 10 million people worldwide are living with the disease including over 1 million Americans. Approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s every year.

For those living with the disease, every month is Parkinson’s awareness month to them. They are the real experts on the disease and are the ones leading the charge to live healthy lives and to find a cure. When Michael J. Fox revealed he had Parkinson’s and formed his Foundation, he made a push for a new era of patient engagement.

I’m proud to say CAP is an embodiment of this new era. Five Board members of CAP Board have Parkinson’s. They are the ones driving CAP’s mission. They, along with other CAP members, are actively engaged in their health and helping find a cure.  Their voices are being heard. I firmly believe a Cure will not be found without the Parkinson’s community involvement. Truthfully, I’m impressed by their determination, energy, and fortitude. At CAP, we encourage our members to be active participants.  As part of Parkinson’s Awareness month, our members are leading and participating in these exciting initiatives:  

• Allyson Kinney and CAP are hosting a Wellness Expo on Saturday, April 7^th, 2018 10:00 am – 2:00 PM at the Courtyard by Marriot Cromwell.
• Peter Northrop is serving as Team Captain for our contingent of members walking in the Parkinson’s Unity Walk in New York City at Central Park.
• Sarah Diaz is hosting CAP’s first bilingual informative/orientation in Waterbury. 
• Michelle Hespeler, a statewide promoter of the benefits of exercise, will participate in Hartford HealthCare’s – Stars Dancing for Parkinson's. 
• Steve DeWitte and Michael Bergamo recently engaged the Government and Research sectors. Steve just attended a public policy forum in Washington D.C., and Michael spoke at the Acorda, a biotechnology company, convention.

Recently, CAP has also forged invaluable relationships with world-class organizations including Hartford Healthcare and Yale. I know first-hand there are Doctors and Researchers in these organizations that care about the Parkinson’s community. Working together, I know we can make a difference, right here in Connecticut. 

During this month, I encourage you to attend one of CAP’s events, one of many others in the community or hold your own event with friends, family, and colleagues.

CAP is always looking for people to join one of our committees. If you think you might be interested, please give me a call. I look forward to hearing from you.  

Warm Regards,

Karl C. Hespeler
Chairman 
860-490-0251
Karl@Parkinsonsct.org