World Parkinson's Awareness Month 2024

World Parkinson's Awareness Month 2024

Read more about some of the wonderful events that our African partners have been busy with during the World Parkinson's Awareness Month of April 2024.

Ethiopia

The Parkinson Patients Support Organisation Ethiopia (PPSO-E) organised a series of exceptional activities in Addis Ababa during the month of April, spanning a duration of one week, known as Parkinson Week. These activities had the primary aim of increasing awareness, providing education to the general public, and advocating for Parkinson's disease. The activities encompassed visits to immobilised patients by journalists, media proprietors, government officials, artists, and other attendees. There were also get-togethers of patients and carers where foreign visitors were asked to share their experiences. Over the course of the week, the participation of more than 500 individuals was recorded. Additionally, the events encompassed press conferences.

Ghana

The Parkinson’s Disease Support Group, Ghana, organised a series of impactful activities throughout April. These activities aimed to educate the public about Parkinson’s disease, engage patients and caregivers on improving their quality of life, promote the support group in Accra, and raise funds for future initiatives. Key activities were durbar focused on enhancing the quality of life of persons with Parkinson’s, media engagement, social media campaigns, and public and health worker education.

Kenya

Taking place in Nairobi, the World Parkinson's Day Walkathon was organised by the Parkinson's Support Group of Kenya (PSGK) with the intention of raising awareness surrounding the condition. More over one hundred people, including a significant number of patients, took part.

Parkinson's Support Group Mombasa proudly hosted World Parkinson's Day events drawing significant participation from the community. In Mombasa, the event saw an impressive turnout of nearly 300 attendees. Dr. Maina, the attending neurologist at the Coast Neurology Centre, delivered an insightful address. The Coast Neurology Centre is also the venue for their monthly support group meetings.

Delighted with the success of these events, they deeply appreciate the valuable contributions from all involved.

Egypt

Egyparkinson’s ran a brilliant event, the Horse-Riding Event to Support People with Parkinson's (Saddle Up for Support), in Vallee du Cheval, a horse-riding stable in Egypt, focused on raising awareness and education about Parkisnon’s disease. More than 50 individuals participated in the day's activities, where the rhythmic beat of hooves against soft earth created a comforting backdrop. This is the scene where our participants embarked on a journey of emotional support and awareness. Their event aimed to provide moments of peace and connection amidst Parkinson's challenges. Carers found respite as they engaged in supportive activities alongside their loved ones, fostering bonds and shared experiences that transcended the trials of the disease. As the participants progressed towards a deeper understanding of Parkinson's disease, the patients established communication and a connection with horses. This was crucial because most of the patients had previously experienced social isolation, and these lovely animals provided them with unwavering support without uttering a single word.

South Africa

Parkinson’s ZA hosted their World Parkinsons Awareness Walk on April 20, 2024. The walk was organised to make the public aware of the disease and to let the communities know that there is a support group they can join so they can share their experiences and learn how to thrive with Parkinson’s Disease. The participants chose to walk either 1, 2, or 3 km.

This post has been tagged with: #Events

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