 Hello PD Avengers,We are growing! I’m happy to report that we are adding new partners and new PD Avengers each day. Thank you to everyone — many who’ve gone unnamed — referring their friends to sign up. I do know Andy Butler, Tina Gillespie, and Nina Juncker have recruiting Super Powers. Also, a big thank you to our partners, who’ve been named as references by new members, for spreading the word. Our German PD Avengers known as Schluß mit Parkinson (Ending Parkinson’s) have registered more than 200 new PD Avengers in the last few months. I also want to recognize the EPDA, APDA, Cure Parkinson’s, Parkinson’s UK, The Michael J Fox Foundation, Bryan Grant Foundation, Parkinson’s Association of Alberta, Parkinson Society of British Columbia, and LSVT Global. All of these organizations have been listed in the past month by new members as a motivating factor for joining PD Avengers. Please help spread the word. Share this newsletter or the website www.padavengers.com with your friends and family. You do not have to have PD to be a PD Avenger! Our latest membership totals are above. In this month’s newsletter, we are excited to share some great opportunities for PD Avengers to take part in research, advocacy and wellness initiatives. Keep scrolling to discover many ways to get involved. United to End Parkinson’s, Larry Larry GiffordPresident, PD Avengers |
| Every Country (and state or province) in RED has at least ONE PD Avenger |
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| ADVOCACY |
| Could You Inspire a Logo for World Parkinson’s Day? |
 World Parkinson’s Awareness Day is April 11th.The PD Avengers, The EPDA and more than 60 partners worldwide are taking a „Think Global, Act Local“ approach, uniting us all with a universal logo that day. People with the condition can help inspire the design by sharing their original art, music, writing and photography – or other creative ideas – online through the PD Avengers website. The deadline is 25 October 2021. „We hope the logo will gain worldwide recognition!“ The EPDA’s operations director, Dominic Graham, says he is delighted to be involved in the groundbreaking project. By creating a more formal, global logo that can be used repeatedly, the partnership hopes to bolster the impact of World Parkinson’s Day. We hope that this will help raise awareness among governments, decision makers and the public about how the condition affects people and communities. |
| Keep an eye on social media and our website. In November, we’ll be launching a letter writing campaign to our United Nation’s (UN) representatives to recognize World Parkinson’s Day on the United Nations and World Health Organization (WHO) calendars and to make „Parkinson’s“ searchable on the websites. |
 CURE PARKINSON’S teams with BBC to spread awarenessIn this poignant short film for BBC Breakfast, Cure Parkinson’s patron Mike Tindall and BBC presenter Sally Nugent met with PD Avengers Alison Anderson and Omotola Thomas, as well as Amarpal Harrar and David Murray, all of whom are living with Parkinson’s.Watch on YouTube |
| RESEARCH |
| Your Parkinson’s Experience Matters |
| Your Experience, Our Inspiration – PD Avengers What have you noticed about your PD Experience? Anything seem odd? PD observations that peak your curiosity, might be the inspiration needed to put another piece of the Parkinson’s puzzle together. No matter how quirky, off the radar, or obvious… Read more www.pdavengers.com |
| RESEARCH |
| Alexa & Siri, why can’t you understand me? |
  | Details on Project Euphonia – WE NEED YOUR VOICE! LSVT Global has partnered with Google on an exciting research project called Project Euphonia to help improve automatic speech recognition software for people with speech disorders. These disorders may make using devices like Google Home, The… Read more blog.lsvtglobal.com |
Goal:We aim to screen 1,000 patients’ voices. If Project Euphonia’s research proves successful, it will enable phones, computers, and other devices to recognize unique speech patterns that can occur because of these speech disorders. This can improve the quality of life for millions of people living with PD and other neurological disorders. | Register Today |
| WELLNESS, ADVOCACY AND RESEARCH |
| Rallying to the Challenge 2021 |
‘Rallying to the Challenge’ is a meeting presented by Cure Parkinson’s and the Van Andel Institute. It is designed for and by people with Parkinson’s, advocates and care partners to explore how the Parkinson’s community can impact and accelerate research. This year the theme for the meeting was ‘GBA1 and LRRK2 – From Genetic Risk to the Clinic,’ which mirrored the theme of Van Andel Institute’s ‘Grand Challenges in Parkinson’s Disease,’ running alongside.Webinar: Rallying to the Challenge Meeting 2021 – Cure…‚Rallying to the Challenge‘ is a meeting designed for and by people with Parkinson’s, advocates and care partners to explore how the Parkinson’s community can impact and accelerate research. Each year the meeting takes an aspect of Parkinson’s… Read more cureparkinsons.org.uk Due to the pandemic, the Rallying to the Challenge 2021 meeting was held virtually, and the full recordings of each day are available on the Cure Parkinson’s Website for FREE! | VIDEO #1 | PD Avengers Update! President and co-founder: Larry Gifford highlights the activities and impact to date and where future support is needed.VIDEO #2 | Where can patient involvement really add the punch? Dr. Soania Mathur, PD Avengers Vice President and co-founder From genetic risk to the clinic with Dr. Kevin McFarthingVIDEO #3 | Clinical Trials and Research, Where Does Africa Fit In? Omotola Thomas, Founder Parkinson’s Africa with Rachel Agwu, Parkinson’s Africa, based in Nigeria with Dr. Mie Rizig UCL London |
| WELLNESS, ADVOCACY AND RESEARCH |
| ASSEMBLE! x2 |
| A second bi-monthly meeting timed for Eastern Europe, Asia, Australia and Oceania. |
| ASSEMBLE! The bi-monthly meeting for ALL PD Avengers will now be held two times! Once for Eastern Europe, Australia and Oceana and parts of Asia & Africa and second meeting for North & South America, Western Europe, and parts of Africa and Asia. Meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of every other month. FIRST MEETING:Tuesday 11am (Sydney, Australia Time)SECOND MEETING:Tuesday 11am (Los Angeles, California Time) WHAT TIME IS IT WHERE I LIVE? Click here, input day and time, the cities above and your city to convert the meet times into your time zone. No matter where you live, you are welcome to attend either meeting. Each meeting will feature The same content. The meetings will be hosted by PMD Alliance . For the most up to date information, please refer to our website. If you or your organization would like to contribute content to be considered fo a future Assemble! Meeting or this Action Alert Newsletter, please email Larry@PDAvengers.com |  If you missed the September Assemble! Meeting, please watch it here.NEXT MEETING: Nov 23, 2021 2022 MEETINGS: Jan 25, 2022 Mar 23, 2022 May 24, 2022 Jul 26, 2022 Sep 28, 2022 Nov 22, 2022 |
| ADVOCACY, WELLNESS |
| WORKING GROUP – Paraquat and Other Toxic Chemicals that increase the risk of a Parkinson’s Diagnosis |
| The PD Avengers Working Group for Paraquat and other Toxic Chemicals that can increase the risk of a Parkinson’s diagnosis will be meeting on Oct 29, 2021. If you are not already on the list of those interested in being part of this working group, please email Steve Philips. Steve has graciously agreed to lead this working group. He’ll be sending meeting details out shortly to those who have expressed interest in this particular issue. |
| LATESET PARAQUAT NEWS: The Michael J Fox Foundation joins a lawsuit filed against the EPA for reapproving a 30-year extension on the legal use of Paraquat in the United States. |
| EPA Sued Over Paraquat Re-Approval Environmental and agricultural workers groups have the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after it issued an interim re-approval for paraquat. Advocates allege that paraquat places agricultural workers in harm’s way and at an increased risk of … Read more www.legalexaminer.com |
| WELLNESS |
| PARKINSON’S POWER |
FREE VIRTUAL CLASSES General 4 – U-Turn Parkinson’sAll classes are offered to the Parkinson’s community Free of Charge with no obligation whatsoever. Read more www.uturnparkinsons.org Join the EmpowerU CommunitySOCIO INTERNACIONAL DESTACADO: ESPAÑA — Con P de Parkinson PD Avengers President Larry Gifford joins Con P de Parkinson on ODNA PK radio in Spain to talk Parkinson’s | NEW PARTNER SPOTLIGHTPower Over Parkinson’s Disease Foundation Power Over Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (POP) provides financial and social support to people with Parkinson’s Disease. Read more www.poweroverpd.org PARTNER VIDEO HIGHLIGHT  Why The Brian Grant Foundation Partnered with The PD Avengers… |
| ADVOCACY AND WELLNESS |
| Might Not Be Able to Smell the Roses, but You Can Tip Toe In (or near) the Tulips! |
| ATTN: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, andEastern Pennsylvania PD Avengers PWP TulipFest 2021 |
 Wednesday, Oct 20, 2021 4-7 pmBoulder Stadium, Pomona, NY (2:45 from Philadelphia, PA | 2:15 from Hartford, CT | 1:30 from NYC)Wellness Expo, Wine Tasting Sunset Concert, SpeakersBuffet, Raffle, Cash Bar, Fun Tulip Victory Garden Planting |
| Free AdmissionSpace Limited and Filling Up FastRegister for Free Surprise GiveawayREGISTER FOR TULIPFEST 2021 |
Global Alliance to End Parkinson’s Disease is incorporated under the Society Act of British Columbia, Canada operating as PD Avengers. |