Parkinson's Foundation gathers for 2012 Moving Day Walk in Rome
Everyone gathered on this October morning in hopes of helping, doing anything they can, to help find a cure for Parkinson’s disease. And so they gathered for a walk.
After the success of last year’s three city Moving Day event — one of which took place right here in Rome, with the others in Pittsburgh, Pa., and Washington, D.C. — the event has spread to “about 20 events” around the country in places like Boca Raton, Fla., and Sioux Falls, S.D., according to National Parkinson’s Foundation National Director of Signature Events Rob Shaw.
“I’m most proud about Rome and our Moving Day here because it really started here. This was kind of the breeding ground for Moving Day,” Shaw said to participants.
“Moving Day is really a call to action,” he said. “We have a million Americans with Parkinson’s ... and it’s really a family disease, so when you factor in those numbers it’s really a disease that impacts 6 million Americans.”
So Moving Day — for Shaw and the organization — is all about reminding everyone to pull together, raise money and hope that researchers will be able to find a cure.
“When it comes to research and it comes to getting money for research or advocacy, people look at numbers,” James Trussell said. “We’re just thrilled to death to have this many people out here raising awareness for Parkinson’s.”
Trussell said this year’s walk was hoping to bring in $50,000 in donations to help people like himself who suffer from Parkinson’s.
Parkinson’s is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system, affecting motor functions and everything from mood to speech inside the brain.
For more information about how to help with Parkinson’s disease research funding and to get involved locally, visit www.parkinson.org.
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