In 2022, we at Parkinson Society British Columbia have worked tirelessly to further our mission of empowering the Parkinson’s community in this province. Throughout the year, we continued to inform our decisions by building and maintaining connections with the individuals that rely on us, including carepartners, families, people with Parkinson’s disease, and healthcare professionals. Thanks to your generous support, here are some ways we are working to help people touched by Parkinson’s disease in BC:
- The BC Ministry of Health confirmed funding for a second neurosurgeon to perform Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery in British Columbia. This step is essential in reducing the lengthy waitlist and improving the quality of life for those living with Parkinson’s disease.
- We continue to invest in an innovative approach to expand holistic care for those affected by Parkinson’s disease. We are providing incentive funding in two health authorities to support a team approach to care in the Victoria and Kelowna movement disorder clinics. We began a similar investment with Vancouver Coastal Health Authority for the UBC Movement Disorder Clinic, adding a part-time occupational therapist and part-time speech-language pathologist. We are investing $500,000 over five years (2020-2024; 2021-2026) to improve care in each of these heath regions. Funding was also offered to Vancouver Island Health Authority for a full-time speech-language pathologist in Nanaimo.
- We have increased access to specialized therapies by expanding our Virtual Physiotherapy service, which aims to reduce barriers to Parkinson’s-specific treatments. For people meeting certain criteria, this service is available free of charge.
- We continue to provide free clinical counselling to both people with Parkinson’s and their loved ones.
- To help individuals better navigate the complexities of the healthcare system, the Society has hired a new part-time Healthcare Navigator, an important addition in strengthening our information and referrals service.
- Our educational events continued to be provided in a primarily virtual format to remain as accessible as possible. However, we have also hosted several in-person events throughout the 2022 year, including our highly-anticipated provincial conference, Moving Forward, Together, which fostered an educational and inspirational space to enrich connections between people with Parkinson’s, carepartners, friends, and healthcare professionals.
- We are continuing to invest in research through funding partnerships with Parkinson Canada and the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research. These groups aim to build capacity among the next generation of Canadian researchers, contribute to the collective understanding of this complex disease, and further the search for a cure.
- We are ensuring that every person touched by Parkinson’s has a community behind them by strengthening our provincial network of over 50 support groups, so that no one has to walk alone on this journey.
Thank you for helping us continue to support and uplift the Parkinson’s community in British Columbia. Together, we can ensure that every person touched by this disease has the resources and services they need to live life to the fullest.