No Holiday For Parkinson’s Awareness

April has been proclaimed to be Parkinson’s Awareness Month, but just how aware are we really of Parkinson’s disease?

Those of us living with the illness as well as our care partners, caregivers, and close relatives, are all well aware of the physical, the mental, and the spiritual toll that Parkinson’s can take.  Unless you live with the disease on a daily basis, it is difficult to comprehend the wide range of symptoms, drug side-effects, and varying degrees of overall health issues that are truly Parkinson’s related—but I ask, how much real awareness is there of this disease?

Just getting a diagnosis with Parkinson’s can be an arduous endeavor.  The journey with Parkinson’s is riddled with unknowns that neither scientists nor neurologists can explain, at this time.  Dedication to unraveling the mystery of our gray matter is crucial to ending all neurological disorders.

In 2017, the bicentennial of James Parkinson’s observations and discoveries will be recognized. If you look at the landscape of successes in battling this illness, for all the time, money, and attempts at awareness, there is so much need that is left unmet. After all this time, there is still so little known about this elusive condition.

Maybe, spreading awareness and information, when at all possible is a key.  Consider sharing your story with the uninitiated and those who are unfamiliar with Parkinson’s, for this offers an opportunity to demystify an illness that is so unique for each individual. Let’s not limit Parkinson’s awareness to just 30 days!