During the month of April, policy advocates across the country raised awareness in their communities by securing local, state and federal proclamations and resolutions to commemorate Parkinson’s Awareness Month and World Parkinson's Day. In doing so, advocates are not only elevating the voices of the Parkinson’s community locally but are also building valuable relationships with their representatives in government and putting a face to Parkinson’s disease.

Local Level 

• City of Charleston, West Virginia — Parkinson's patient and advocate, George Manahan, worked with his local government to secure a Parkinson’s Awareness Month proclamation.  

• Cities of The Dalles, Lafayette, Portland, Tigard, Troutdale, Tualatin, West Linn and Woodburn, Oregon — Parkinson’s patients and advocates, Kevin Mansfield and Megan Taye, worked with city governments to declare April as Parkinson’s Awareness Month. 

State Level 

• California — The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF)’s Director of State Government Relations, Julia Pitcher, visited the California State Capitol to meet with Assemblywoman Laura Friedman, Assemblyman Juaquin Arambula and Catrina Taylor and Mark Damesyn of the California Department of Public Health to discuss and advocate for Parkinson’s policy in the state.  

• Connecticut — Parkinson’s patient and advocate, Regina Stankaitis, worked with local Parkinson’s groups and state legislators, including the co-chairs of the Joint Committee on Public Health, Senator Saud Anwar and Representative Cristin McCarthy Vahey, to organize a press conference in honor of World Parkinson’s Day on April 11. In addition, Representative Frank Smith publicly shared his Parkinson’s diagnosis for the first time during his remarks. MJFF’s State Government Relations Officer, Zach Hardy, joined to share remarks in celebration of the day including information about pending legislation and research to support the Parkinson’s community in Connecticut. Watch the event here.

• Florida — Policy advocate George Ackerman worked with Governor Ron DeSantis’s office to declare April as Parkinson’s Awareness Month in Florida.  

• New York— On Thursday, April 4, the Empire State Plaza was lit orange in recognition of Parkinson’s Awareness Month. State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblymember Amy Paulin, sponsors of a Parkinson’s research registry bill in New York, attended the lighting.

• Oregon — Advocate Kevin Mansfield worked with Governor Tina Kotek’s office on a proclamation to recognize April as Parkinson’s Awareness Month. 

• Pennsylvania — On Monday, April 8, the Pennsylvania State House was lit orange in recognition of Parkinson's Awareness Month. 

P.S. Did you know that The Michael J. Fox Foundation advocates for Parkinson’s policies on the state level, including some of the states listed above? Learn more about this year’s priorities. 

Federal Level 

On April 11, World Parkinson’s Day, U.S. Representatives Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) and Jen Kiggins (R-VA) and Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced a bipartisan and bicameral resolution to designate April as Parkinson’s Awareness Month in the United States. Read the full the resolution here. 

“During Parkinson’s Awareness Month and on this World Parkinson’s Day, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is grateful to our partners in Congress including Representatives Wexton and Kiggans and Senators Stabenow and Scott who are leading this bipartisan effort to honor the 1 million Americans living with Parkinson’s and their families,” said Ted Thompson, senior vice president of public policy at The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. “Together, we’re reaffirming our commitment to doing everything we can to fast-track promising research, ensure every person with PD has access to the best care available and ultimately, find a cure for Parkinson’s.” 

In addition to Representatives Wexton and Kiggans, the resolution was cosponsored by other members of the House of Representatives, including Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Don Bacon (R-NE), Nanette Barragan (D-CA), Don Beyer (D-VA), Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Michael Lawler (R-NY), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), Haley Stevens (D-MI), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), David Trone (D-MD) and Susan Wild (D-PA).   

Many of these members of Congress are also cosponsors of The National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act, passed in the House last December and currently under consideration in the Senate. 

Did you secure a Parkinson’s Awareness Month resolution, proclamation or celebration in your community that you’d like to be added to this post? Email us at policy@michaeljfox.org. 

Interested in helping your elected officials learn more about Parkinson’s? Join our policy network and make your voice heard at michaeljfox.org/advocacy.