MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR - AUGUST 2026

Posted: July 31, 2026
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Welcome back! We really missed you during our July program pause and we are excited to reconnect with a new season of support groups, educational programs, and community activities.

This move was about much more than changing addresses. Our new office offers significantly lower overhead costs, allowing us to direct more of every dollar toward the programs and services that make a meaningful difference for people with Parkinson’s and their families. It also places us in an environment designed to support independent nonprofits — a community where organizations can share ideas, collaborate, and learn from one another.

That spirit of connection extends far beyond our new office. I am thrilled to share that PRO has joined the Independent Parkinson’s Network (IPN), a coalition of regional Parkinson’s nonprofits that operate independently and are unaffiliated with national organizations.

In July, I traveled to Denver for the Network’s annual summit, where I gathered with leaders from 16 other Parkinson’s organizations from across the country. Together, we spoke candidly about the highs and lows of this work, shared ideas, explored solutions to common challenges, and learned from the programs and approaches succeeding in other communities.

I returned home completely reenergized and inspired by the incredible work being done across the country to support local Parkinson’s communities. While each organization serves a unique audience, we share the same fundamental commitment: to meet people where they are and provide compassionate, practical support that responds to real Parkinson’s needs.

That has always been PRO’s promise to our community. As an independent nonprofit, we have the flexibility to listen closely, adapt quickly, and build programs around the needs of the people we serve. Whether we are expanding a support group, answering a family’s urgent questions, bringing trusted experts to our community, or identifying an overlooked need, our goal is to provide the best and most compassionate care possible.

One example of that commitment – our summer ‘Early Signs’ public service campaign focused on the early signs of Parkinson’s. Many people associate Parkinson’s primarily with tremor, but symptoms such as loss of smell, constipation, changes in handwriting, active dreaming, anxiety, and depression can appear years earlier. By helping more people recognize these lesser-known signs, we hope to encourage important conversations with doctors and support earlier diagnosis.

Earlier treatment can mean earlier access to exercise, therapies, medications, research opportunities, and other resources that may improve quality of life and potentially even slow the progression of Parkinson’s. That is why education is such an essential part of our work.

As we return from our July pause, we do so with renewed energy, a more sustainable home, new partners, and an unwavering commitment to you. Thank you for growing with us and for trusting PRO to remain responsive, resourceful, and deeply rooted in this community.

Now read on for DEPRESSION: THE HIDDEN TOLL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE, THE SANDWICH GENERATION CARING FOR PARENTS WHILE RAISING CHILDREN, HOW WEATHER CAN AFFECT PARKINSON'S DISEASE, PRO OUT & ABOUT, and MEET THE PRO TEAM.

Now read one for: THE HIDDEN TOLL OF DEPRESSION; THE SANDWICH GENERATION; CARING FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN; HOW WEATHER CAN AFFECT PARKINSON'S DISEASE; A NEW HOME FOR PRO!; PRO CONNECTS WITH LEADERS AT THE IPN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT; MEET THE PRO TEAM

With gratitude,