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Former LPGA Golfer Cherie Zaun to Participate in Parkinson’s Fundraiser

May 1, 2018 Awareness, Community Outreach, Donate

In the 1970s, Golfer Cherie Zaun was on her way toward a promising career, and put her career on hold to raise two children. In the 1990s, with her children grown, Cherie decided to follow her dream: to compete at the highest level in golf. With a lot of hard work and dedication Cherie earned her way to the LPGA tour. She competed in over 30 tournaments and practiced week after week to improve her play. Struggling with her game, she began to realize that something was not quite right with her body. She tried to remain strong and work through it, only to have her symptoms get worse.

In 2003, determined to figure out what was going on with her body, Cherie left the tour, and was diagnosed with Parkinson disease. Symptoms of Parkinson disease can include tremor, slowness of movement, rigidity, problems with balance, and more. While Parkinson’s can be managed with exercise and medication, it is chronic and progressive and has no cure.

Cherie chose to get involved with many organizations and events that promote living well with Parkinson disease. The LPGA tour lost a very talented player, but the Parkinson world gained a great spokesperson. Cherie wants to be a part of the journey to find a cure for Parkinson’s in her lifetime. She now travels around the country speaking and appearing at charity golf outings — including the Movers & Shakers Classic on Saturday, June 2 at Evergreen Golf Course in Elkhorn, Wisconsin.

Coordinated by Joe & Patti Schlicher, the Movers & Shakers Golf Classic includes a golf outing, live and silent auctions, raffle, and a dinner for golfers, family members, and the community. Cherie will be a part of the day, and will be sharing her story at dinner. All proceeds from the event benefit Wisconsin Parkinson Association, which provides hope, community, support and resources for people with Parkinson’s and their loved ones.

“We are so honored the Movers & Shakers Classic has again chosen to support WPA,” said Gary Garland, executive director of Wisconsin Parkinson Association. “This annual event has raised over $35,000 that assists support and exercise groups and educational programs around the state. Cherie’s presence will be a great addition this year!”

Cost to participate in the golf outing (including dinner) is $96/golfer. The dinner only option is available for $24 (for a hamburger or brat) or $32 (for steak or chicken). To participate or to donate money or an item for the auction, contact Joe Schlicher at 262-949-8011.

Storming the Hill

April 1, 2018 Awareness, Community Outreach, Research

By: Samantha Barbian

We came. We saw. We conquered. From March 19-21^st my dad, Craig, and I attended the Parkinson’s Policy Forum in Washington DC. We were joined by approximately 300 other Parkinson’s advocates from around the country. The feeling of being one community and truly supporting each other was undeniable. I found it interesting hearing all the different stories how Parkinson’s has affected each persons life. No two stories in the room were exactly alike just like the disease does not effect each person’s body and mind the same.

One speaker who was so inspirational that I will never forget was New Jersey Senator Cory Booker. He told stories about his life growing up and the stories his father would tell. Near the end of his speech he revealed that his father had Parkinson’s. This quote from Senator Booker hit home with many of us:

“My dad showed me what courage was about, as he struggled with this foe of Parkinson’s, and more than that, he showed me what the power of the community is about. About people who were there for him, who counseled him, who laughed with him. About folks who understood the complexities of the challenges.”

Parkinson’s patients need that community to help them keep pushing forward and to never give up.

If you were unable to attend the Parkinson’s Policy Forum there are a few ways you can still get involved. One way is to check out the website www.parkinsonsforum.org for all the information that was shared at the conference. Another way that you can get involved is to contact your legislators and ask them to fund the National Neurological Surveillance System. This program is a database for all neurological diseases to keep track of the occurrences in our society. We are also looking for continued support of Parkinson’s research done on veterans who served in Vietnam by the Department of Defense.

If you would like more information about the forum, please contact me at [email protected].

Samantha with New Jersey Senator Cory Booker

WPA’s revamped Mission Statement

February 1, 2018 Awareness, Change, Life

In order to realign WPA’s Mission Statement with our goals and program offerings, our Board of Directors recently revamped the statement:

Providing hope, community, support, and resources for people with Parkinson’s and their loved ones.

This new mission statement truly shows what WPA is able to provide for YOU. We are a broad and diverse organization, providing you with what you need as you navigate life with Parkinson’s – whether it’s your own Parkinson’s, or that of a loved one.

This new mission statement is flexible and broad, and doesn’t focus on any particular program or service we offer. We are constantly seeking opportunities to expand and broaden how we connect with people with Parkinson’s, caregivers, medical professionals, and more.

Finally, this new mission statement is brief and easy to remember. When someone new connects with WPA, we want to be able to easily share with them our place in this community!

WPA’s Holiday Reception

November 1, 2017 Caregivers, Community Outreach, Life

Click here to register!

WPA Open – Thank you!

October 1, 2017 Awareness, Donate

WPA hosted our 6th Annual WPA Open Against Parkinson Disease on September 12, 2017 at The Legend of Merrill Hills in Waukesha, WI. This golf outing and dinner are the only fundraiser WPA coordinates, and the money raised supports outreach, education and services to people with Parkinson disease, their caregivers, family members, and health professionals.

Thank you to Financial Strategies, Inc., and HeatTek, Inc., our presenting sponsors, as well as all of the sponsors who made this event a success. To see photos from the day, click here.

One of the highlights of the outing this year was having Patrick Pelkey with us. Patrick is a Parkinson’s Support Group leader, and he is a woodcarver. He spent the day carving these beautiful “comfort birds” that we auctioned off. Patrick has Parkinson’s, and he has found that when he starts carving, his tremors subside.

The smooth texture and beautiful wood have a calming effect, and Patrick is proud to share his talents with children and adults who need comforting.

Thanks to all who supported the WPA Open!

UW Otolaryngology Research Study

August 1, 2017 Research

Have you been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease within the last 5 years, and are your motor symptoms mild? Dr. Timothy McCulloch’s research lab at the University of Wisconsin Hospital is recruiting subjects for a study evaluating changes to chewing, swallowing, voice, fine motor, and walking function in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease, as well as healthy controls.

Participation in this study lasts about 2 hours and participants are paid $60. Contact study coordinator Dr. Suzan Abdelhalim at 608-265- 2470 or [email protected] for more information.

Support Group Facilitator Training

July 1, 2017 Awareness, Caregivers, Support Groups

Our Symposium draws attendees from far and wide to learn more about Parkinson’s treatments and resources, and to connect with others who have PD. Many attendees are involved in one or more support groups, so for the last several years, WPA has led a training for support group facilitators on the Thursday before the Symposium.

One of the most important goals of this year’s facilitator training was to hear directly from the facilitators on how things were going in their groups and to identify ways in which WPA can best support their efforts. Stemming from that discussion, here are some important ways in which WPA expects to increase our partnerships with these facilitators and the groups they lead:

Creation of a speaker’s bureau in order to simplify the often challenging process of getting PD experts to attend group meetings.
Step up our efforts to assist groups to publicize their meetings and reach potential new members.
Check in with group facilitators more regularly to hear how things are going, see if they currently need any assistance from WPA, and share their efforts with WPA’s “audience”.
Explore ways where we can more often bring together facilitators to exchange ideas and challenges and learn from the best teachers – each other!
Develop publications and programming to better serve caregivers, those newly diagnosed with PD and the young onset community.
Formalize a grant program to provide small financial support that would have a big impact on the effectiveness of groups and the quality of life of their members.

We are so grateful for the commitment of these support group facilitators to their groups and to WPA!

31st Annual Parkinson Disease Symposium | June 23, 2017

June 1, 2017 Awareness, Caregivers, Community Outreach, Education, Life, Research

WPA will host its 31^st Annual Parkinson Disease Symposium on Friday, June 23, 2017 at Country Springs Hotel & Conference Center in Pewaukee, Wisconsin.

Beginning at 8:00am, attendees can check in and visit with vendors at the Resource Fair where health and community agencies will display valuable information throughout the day. Beginning at 9:00am, the first main session will be “Understanding Parkinson Disease from a Scientific Perspective”, presented by Giuseppe P. Cortese, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison. The morning breakout sessions will follow Dr. Cortese’s interactive presentation, and participants will choose from three options: “Caregivers: Being prepared for an emergency”, “Grieving ‘life as we have known it’”, and a Panel on PD exercise programs.

During lunch, the resource fair will again be open for participants. After lunch, the afternoon breakout sessions will include “Are you caring too much and laughing too little?”, “Causes and prevention of falls” and “Exercise: A targeted attack on Parkinson’s.” The closing session for all attendees will be “Nutrition for Parkinson Disease” presented by Michelle McDonagh, RD, CD, Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin. The Symposium will conclude by 3:30pm.

The registration fee is $30 per person and includes educational materials, continental breakfast, and lunch. To register, CLICK HERE or call our office at 414-312-6990. Registration is required and must be received by Wednesday, June 14.

The event is sponsored by Abbvie, Medtronic and US WorldMeds.

April is Parkinson Awareness Month

April 1, 2017 Awareness

Nearly one million Americans live with Parkinson’s – more than Multiple Sclerosis, ALS, and Muscular Dystrophy combined. Over 20,000 Wisconsinites have been diagnosed with the disease.

Parkinson disease is a movement disorder, characterized by four key motor symptoms: tremor, muscle rigidity and stiffness, slowness of movement, and impaired balance and coordination. As you know, PD is much more than just a movement disorder. Non-motor symptoms of this disease may include dementia or confusion, fatigue, sleep disturbances and depression.

While the disease process may begin years earlier, the average age of diagnosis for PD is 60, but many individuals are diagnosed in their 50s and 40s, or even younger. It is estimated that 60,000 Americans are newly diagnosed each year.

Like many other neurological disorders, the causes of PD are not known, but both environmental and genetic factors are thought to be involved. There currently is no cure for PD, but numerous medications and other treatment options are available to improve symptoms and the quality of life for people with this disease and the increased pace of new research offers great hope for future treatment and a cure.

We invite you to use the month of April to reach out to the people around you. Talk about your disease. It isn’t always easy, but many people don’t understand what a person with Parkinson’s goes through every day.

Connect with WPA on how to get involved in the work we are doing. Join us for an educational program or find a support or exercise group in your area.

PD is a movement disorder… so let’s join together and GET MOVING!

WPA & You: Moving Forward Together.

Former LPGA Golfer Cherie Zaun to Participate in Parkinson’s Fundraiser

Storming the Hill

WPA’s revamped Mission Statement

WPA’s Holiday Reception

WPA Open – Thank you!

UW Otolaryngology Research Study

Support Group Facilitator Training

31st Annual Parkinson Disease Symposium | June 23, 2017

April is Parkinson Awareness Month

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April is Parkinson Awareness Month