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'Moving Day Phoenix' offers Parkinson’s services access for veterans among charity events

Posted 10/27/20

Supporters valleywide will gather online for the second annual, “Moving Day Phoenix” event on Saturday, Nov. 14, to raise at least $50,000 to combat Parkinson’s Disease.

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'Moving Day Phoenix' offers Parkinson’s services access for veterans among charity events

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Supporters valleywide will gather online for the second annual, “Moving Day Phoenix” event on Saturday, Nov. 14, to raise at least $50,000 to combat Parkinson’s Disease.

The virtual event video will feature a segment highlighting a new partnership between the Parkinson’s Foundation and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs aimed at improving the health, well-being and quality of life of veterans living with PD, according to a press release.

One million Americans live with Parkinson’s, the release said, adding that the number consists of an estimated 110,000 veterans and is expected to rise due to an aging population.

The event’s video will also feature guided movement exercises, PD patients’ and caregivers’ first-person stories and resource information from the Parkinson’s Foundation and its corporate sponsors.

Registered teams, including north Scottsdale’s Terravita Movers & Shakers, may do their own walks for the fundraiser as Terravita’s 13-member team leads the fundraising effort at more than $7,500 and will walk in the team’s own community.

The Foundation’s partnership with the VA was announced in May to offer better care for veterans, according to the release.

“Our paramount objective is educating and training VA staff on disease management and therapies and improving access to Parkinson’s-related services for veterans living with the disease,” said John L. Lehr, CEO/president of the Parkinson’s Foundation in a prepared statement.

“I walk to honor the memory of my father, Korean War Veteran Jerry ‘Boss Man’ Boss,” said Cathy Boss-Fessel, Movers & Shakers team captain in a prepared statement, whose father lived with Parkinson’s for years after serving in the Navy.

During his service he was quartermaster on a submarine rescue ship and later served as an assistant navigator on the submarine USS Sirago (SS-485) from 1948-1952, she added.

“For me and the other team members, this event is very personal. We want to see life made better for those we love who struggle with Parkinson’s and related diseases such as Lewy Body Dementia. The Foundation’s partnership with the VA now gives veterans greater access to state-of-the-art clinical care, education, research and advocacy.”

Moving Day is a celebration of movement, which reportedly has been proven to help manage PD symptoms, as noted by Cynthia Driskell, owner of Carefree Physical Therapy, who stated how research showed that people with PD can improve their movement and maintain improvement with the right exercise.

“The Parkinson’s Wellness Recovery (PWR!Moves) training that we offer our patients targets some of the most common symptoms of PD – posture; movement control; reducing the rigidity that interferes with efficient and coordinated movement; and transitioning, or improving the ability to move from one position to another,” she said.

Veterans and their caregivers can learn more at Parkinson.org/Veterans; or call 1-800-949-1001, ext. 5769. To donate online or form teams to walk in communities: MovingDayPhoenix.org.

The Parkinson’s Foundation is noted to improve life for people with Parkinson’s disease through care and advancing research toward a cure with the help of a global Parkinson’s community.

For more information, visit www.parkinson.org or call 800-4PD-INFO (473-4636).