Substantial Matters: Life & Science of Parkinson’s Parkinson’s Foundation

This month, we are honoring and celebrating our Parkinson’s Foundation volunteers. Every volunteer helps make a difference in the everyday lives of people living with Parkinson’s disease, whether it’s by helping organize a local community walk, serving as a research advocate providing feedback and collaborating with scientists on research studies, or speaking at a panel for a community education program. There are many opportunities to get involved with the Foundation.
In this episode, we highlight two volunteers who share their stories about how they became involved with the Parkinson’s Foundation.

Carbidopa-levodopa is considered the “gold standard treatment” for Parkinson’s disease. Levodopa works to replace levels of dopamine in the brain, thereby alleviating PD symptoms, while Carbidopa works to reduce adverse effects in the rest of the body. Although years have passed since the creation of this treatment, it is still commonly known to be an effective drug for reducing PD symptoms in a majority of people living with Parkinson’s.
In this episode, we hear from Dr. Emily Peron, PharmD and Dr. Leslie Cloud, MD from Virginia Commonwealth University*. They discuss how and why carbidopa-levodopa continues to be a standard treatment for PD, long-term use considerations, its different forms, and when to recognize the need for potential medication adjustments.
*Denotes a Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence

Black and African American people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) face disparities in healthcare access and outcomes, potentially leading to decreased access to care, resources, and research opportunities. It is crucial to recognize their unique needs and experiences so that scientists can better understand how PD impacts diverse communities. The Parkinson’s Foundation aims to identify these healthcare disparities to better serve and support the community.
In this second episode of our Black History Month special, Dr. Reversa Joseph, Neurologist, MDS at the Columbus Ohio VA, and Dr. Hiral G. Shah, Neurologist, MDS at Columbia University Medical Center, discuss current and historical disparities in research and treatment among the Black and African American PD community. They emphasize the importance of raising awareness about PD in this community, as well as in the medical space, to better understand the diverse lived experiences of the Black PD community. They also address the need to create more PD resources that reflect the voices of the community at hand.

Black and African American people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) face disparities in healthcare access and outcomes, potentially leading to decreased access to care, resources, and research opportunities. It is crucial to recognize their unique needs and experiences so that scientists can better understand how PD impacts diverse communities. The Parkinson’s Foundation aims to identify these healthcare disparities to better serve and support the community.
In this first episode of our Black History Month special, Kimberly Gamble, Program Coordinator at Atrium Health, and Lance Wilson, Licensed Social Worker and Center Coordinator at Jefferson Health’s Comprehensive Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, share real-life examples of outreach strategies that they have used when engaging with the Black and African American community to dispel common misconceptions about research studies, and emphasize the importance of representing and showing up for your community.

As we start the new year, we wanted to turn the tables on our podcast host and moderator, Dan Keller. Dan has hosted our Substantial Matters podcast series since it began more than five years ago. In this episode, we share some insight into his background, his experience, and how he came to host this series, starting as a laboratory researcher, to journalism student, to medical journalist and broadcaster. He talks about the rewards of reaching the Parkinson’s community through podcasts, and shares his suggestions for new, as well as seasoned, listeners.
We invite our listeners to share your feedback by visiting Parkinson.org/Feedback. We want to hear your thoughts so we may continue to improve our podcasts and explore topics that are relevant to you.

Recibir un diagnóstico de la enfermedad de Parkinson (EP) puede ser una experiencia que cambie su vida, pero hay pasos que puede tomar desde el principio para ayudar a crear y mantener una vida de calidad con la EP. Aprender más acerca de la enfermedad, identificar una red de apoyo y formar un equipo de profesionales de la salud son algunos de los primeros pasos que hay que dar. Aunque pueda estar atravesando una oleada de emociones, no está solo y hay recursos disponibles para ayudarle a vivir mejor con la EP.
En este episodio, hablamos con la Dra. Nicte Mejía González, neuróloga del Massachusetts General Hospital. Ella comparte su experiencia de primera mano al hablar con los pacientes, proporcionar el diagnóstico inicial de la EP y sus recomendaciones en los primeros pasos de la atención.