Delaram Safarpour M.D., Associate Professor of Neurology at OHSU. Dr. Safarpour discusses dietary management and the role of the gut microbiome for people living with Parkinson’s disease.
Dr. Safarpour is the medical director of the Deep Brain Stimulation Program at OHSU. Her research focus is the effect of Deep brain stimulation in the treatment of movement disorders as well as gastrointestinal dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease. She oversees several clinical trials and has authored and co-authored several peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on gastrointestinal dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease as well as deep brain stimulation in the treatment of movement disorders.
Throughout the month of August, we’ll be sharing experiences and advice from women living with Parkinson’s. Join the conversation and add your voice to the discussion!
Coming Up:
August 7, 2024: Profile of the “Parkinson’s Diva” Maria De León Maria De León was a practicing movement disorder specialist when she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. We talk with her about her experience as a specialist and a patient. Visit our blog page on August 7!
August 14, 2024: Experiences of Women with Parkinson’s Disease Webcast Amy Lavallee will moderate a panel discussion with Maria and Sree Sripathy about the unique experiences of women with Parkinson’s. Click HEREto register.
August 21, 2024: Tips from Women with Parkinson’s Sharon Krischer started writing the blog “Twitchy Woman, My Adventures with Parkinson’s Disease” in 2015. She writes about living well with PD from the patient’s point of view in a positive, sometimes humorous way. She will share her wisdom and advice from some of the many women with PD she has connected with over the years. Visit our blog page on August 21!
Next week I’m traveling to Washington, D.C. to take part in the Brain and Environment Symposium. I’m part of a panel on water talking about my time at Camp LeJeune as a kid. You’ve probably heard about Camp LeJeune from the PD community or commercials on TV talking about the water on the base that was contaminated with TCE. I’d seen the commercials, too, but it wasn’t until Dr. Ray Dorsey read my autobiography and reached out to me that I learned that my time at Camp LeJeune may have contributed to my Parkinson’s diagnosis.
At first, I had a hard time understanding how something that had happened decades ago when I was just a kid could’ve led to my diagnosis. But as I started learning more from Ray, it was actually a relief to start finding some answers. Since I was diagnosed 16 years ago, I’ve struggled to understand how I got this disease, especially at such a young age, and often times blaming myself. And though I understand that my exposure to TCE at Camp LeJeune is likely only one of the contributing factors to my diagnosis, it’s been helpful to me to have any answers to how I got Parkinson’s and to have some reassurance that maybe this won’t happen to my kids.
When Ray asked if I would participate in the symposium, I was nervous and wanted to say no. The truth is I don’t know a lot about science and a symposium about the brain and the environment with researchers and policymakers is out of my comfort zone. But Ray reassured me that my role is to tell my story so that people understand why it’s important to stop using chemicals like TCE. He said that change only happens when people like me stand up and tell our stories. If I can play any role in helping future generations avoid getting diseases like Parkinson’s, I will. I hope you’ll join me.
To learn more about the Brain and Environment Symposium happening on Monday, May 20, 2024, visit brainandenvironment.org.
The Brian Grant Foundation is a proud partner of advocacy efforts that are working to ban or reduce environmental toxins linked to Parkinson’s disease. Here are some actions you can take today to join us in these efforts:
Join PD Avengers, a global, patient-led advocacy organization working to end Parkinson’s at pdavengers.com.
Take action on policies that affect the Parkinson’s community by visiting the Unified Parkinson’s Advocacy Council (led by The Michael J. Fox Foundation) at michaeljfox.org/contact-your-policymakers.
Brought to you by AbbVie, Amneal, CND Life Sciences, Providence Brain and Spine Institute, and StrivePD.
Cognitive decline is a symptom of Parkinson’s disease that’s gaining more attention for its impact on quality of life. For Mental Health Awareness Month, Dr. Joel Mack talks about cognitive issues in Parkinson’s and ways to improve them.
Joel Mack MD is a Psychiatrist with the NW Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education and Clinical Centers at the Portland VA Medical Center.
Our friend and Program Advisory Council member, Todd Vogt, was highlighted on KGW8. He earned a spot on the 2024 US Paralympic row team Mixed Double Sculls division. The 2024 Paralympic Games will be held in Paris on Sep 8, 2024. Watch party anyone?! Congratulations, Todd!
$455,000 was raised during the 2024 Shake It ‘Til We Make It gala to support our efforts to empower people impacted by Parkinson’s disease to lead active and fulfilling lives. Many thanks to our sponsors, guests, and many other supporters far and wide!
Be social with us! Come meet the BGF staff and others in the Portland Parkinson’s Community
Come meet the BGF staff and others in the Parkinson’s community in Portland, open house style! Join us when you can. Stay for as little or as long as you like from 4:00pm to 8:00pm. We will have food, beverages, and few games to play.
We will also debut a few of our newest community stories with screenings at 5:00pm and 7:00pm if you would like to see them. These are short videos, crafted by PwP and care partners in a storytelling workshop, offering an intimate view into their personal journey with Parkinson’s.
Apathy, fatigue, dystonia, dyskinesia and freezing can make it hard to stick to an exercise routine. Nate Coomer, founder and owner of the Parkinson’s Fitness Project presents on how to exercise with these PD symptoms.
More than 25 Volunteers and Family Members Helped Raise Funds and Awareness for the Brian Grant Foundation
One more way BGF acknowledged World Parkinson’s Day on April 11, 2024 was at the Portland Blazers game as the 50/50 raffle beneficiary. Thank you to our wonderful, truly dedicated volunteers who broke this year’s record selling over $17,000 worth of tickets!
