Thank you for joining us to inspire and empower Canadians living with Parkinson’s to thrive in 2022.

  • People with Parkinson’s will always be at the centre of everything we do. As part of our Parkinson Canada community, you inspire and empower people living with Parkinson’s to thrive.

    But Parkinson’s is the world’s fastest-growing neurological disorder. With the number of Canadians diagnosed each day expected to rise from 30 to 50 in less than a decade, we are facing a historic health crisis. From growing wait lists for diagnosis and care to a lack of Parkinson’s informed healthcare providers, the challenges facing Canadians with Parkinson’s today are greater and more complex than ever.

    With your support – your generosity, advocacy and volunteerism – we are here for Canadians impacted by Parkinson’s, just as we have been since 1965. We are here because you make it possible for us to be. That’s why I’m thrilled to join the Chair of our Parkinson Advisory Council (PAC), Bob Kuhn, in sharing what you helped us accomplish for the Parkinson’s community in 2022.

    We know that collective efforts on behalf of the Parkinson’s community will fast-track critical research discoveries and accessible care for Canadians. As such, we spent the last year leaning into our role as a connector and collaborator within the Parkinson’s community. We were honoured to co-host roundtable discussions on challenges in clinical trials with the Michael J. Fox Foundation and Parkinson’s UK. We held a symposium that united Canadian Parkinson’s researchers and clinicians with the international Multiple Sclerosis research community, to discuss how the two neurological diseases could learn from each other and collaborate. And through an innovative partnership with the Davis Phinney Foundation, we launched the first-ever Canadian Edition of Every Victory Counts, the new gold-standard resource with information Canadians need to live well with Parkinson’s.

    In 2022, we continued to highlight the stories of Canadians living with Parkinson’s and their care partners to help bring awareness to the far-reaching effects of Parkinson’s, the barriers to accessing care, and the resources available through Parkinson Canada. As we move forward with purpose, we are implementing a digital-first approach to our programs and resources and targeting advocacy strategies that influence public policy and help people with Parkinson’s thrive.

    Whether you are a donor, a volunteer or a passionate advocate, your partnership is what enables us to create profound, long-term impact for people with Parkinson’s in every part of Canada. Because we know that with the right supports in place, living well with Parkinson’s is still possible.

    Thank you for your compassion and generosity.

Karen Lee
President & CEO
Parkinson Canada

Bob Kuhn
Chair
Parkinson Advisory Council

  • Fuelled by the generosity of our national community of donors, partners, volunteers and champions, 2022 was a year of collaboration and innovation.

    Every dollar invested, every hour volunteered, and every message of support brought us closer to the future we envision: one in which every person living with Parkinson’s in Canada is empowered and inspired to live well. It’s a future we’re creating together. And we can’t thank you enough.

    Here are just a few incredible ways you – our Parkinson Canada community – impacted people with Parkinson’s across Canada in 2022:

    • You helped us partner and collaborate to drive research innovation that provides hope for people with Parkinson’s by awarding over $1.6 million in research funding. Since 1981, Parkinson Canada has funded trailblazing research including discovery-stage science, fellowships for Movement Disorder Specialists (MDS) and training for the next generation of Parkinson’s research leaders.

    • You impacted more people throughout their Parkinson’s journey with the launch of the first-ever Canadian Edition of Every Victory Counts, providing Canadians living with Parkinson’s the tools, resources and inspiration to help them live well. This is just one of the many indispensable resources you make available to people impacted by Parkinson’s, free of charge.

    • You put people living with Parkinson’s in the spotlight through our involvement in a global initiative to take action against Parkinson’s and as we delved deeper into our Provincial Advocacy Roundtable Reports, which provide valuable insights from the Parkinson’s community to drive our advocacy efforts. Strategic activities like these enable us to identify key priorities and actions for growing awareness and improving the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s.

    You make all of this possible. Thank you for investing your time, donations and trust.

Veeral Khatri
Chair
Board of Directors

Across our programs and services, research program and advocacy work, 2022 was a big year with big impact — only possible thanks to Parkinson Canada’s generous donors, partners and volunteers.

8,076 people reached through our webinars

5,560
digital resource downloads

23 research grants awarded

$2,013,572
raised through community events

4,005 calls and emails answered

2,700 participants
from all events

8,000+
community support group attendees across the country

$1,631,154 in
research funding awarded

68,000+ generous donors

Your generosity in action

In 2022, Parkinson Canada’s incredible community of donors, volunteers and supporters came together to empower Canadians with Parkinson’s to thrive. Here, we’ve put the spotlight on a few of the champions who made a difference and achieved major milestones in their support of the Parkinson’s community.

  • Iris Jacobson and Alan Levine invest in innovation

    In 2022, Iris Jacobson and Alan Levine donated to support the development of Parkinson Canada’s CareFinder, an innovative digital database of Parkinson’s service providers across Canada. As Iris’ sister lives with Parkinson’s disease, she and her husband are passionate about helping people with Parkinson’s, their care partners, and medical professionals locate credible community resources to support the management of Parkinson’s. We extend our deepest gratitude to Iris and Alan for their meaningful gift.

  • The women who make it possible

    In 2022, Deb Voorheis and Carlota Lee launched a new initiative, Women for Parkinson’s, a national network of dynamic and influential women coming together to raise their voices and fundraise for better treatment and research for Parkinson’s disease. The inaugural Women for Parkinson’s events last year in Toronto and Vancouver raised more than $60,000 for Parkinson Canada and created greater awareness of Parkinson’s and the unique challenges it poses to women. We are so grateful for Deb’s and Carlota’s boldness, leadership and generosity. If you are interested in joining this inspiring group, please reach out to Naseem Jamal.

  • A family gives back to change what is possible with Parkinson’s

    The Sinclair family's story is one of love, resilience, and generosity. Jack Sinclair was a bright light in every room he entered. He was smart, funny, kind, and loved life. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's (Lewy Body dementia) at the age of age 65.

    The Sinclair family turned to Parkinson Canada for support. The Information and Referral team at Parkinson Canada was a "lifesaver," according to Jack's son, Scott. They spent time with the family discussing the disease, what to expect, and how to help manage the symptoms. This wealth of education and support was not only helpful for Jack but also for Scott's mom, who was Jack's primary care partner.

    The support from Parkinson Canada made a big difference for Jack and his family. So, even after Jack's passing 14 years later, the Sinclair family continues to support Parkinson Canada substantially with monthly donations. They are interested in the research that Parkinson Canada is doing to find better treatments and ultimately, a cure. Their generosity and resilience are an inspiration.

  • Mary-Lou Henderson’s lasting legacy of improving health for Canadians

    Mary-Lou Henderson was a talented nurse and loving wife who lived with Parkinson’s for many years before passing in April 2020. She and her late husband, Howard, enjoyed a full life together and loved to golf and travel. Mary-Lou was a visionary leader who moved mountains to improve the health of her fellow Canadians, both in life, helping establish Home Care Ontario – and in passing, by leaving a legacy gift to Parkinson Canada in her will.

    We are forever grateful to Mary-Lou and her family, and for all of our wonderful Planned Giving donors who care so deeply about the future of people with Parkinson’s in Canada. Mary-Lou’s generosity and foresight will continue to have an impact for many years to come.

  • Bringing Pedaling for Parkinson’s to Orangeville: Bill Rea

    Bill discovered his passion for cycling after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2010. Last year, Bill championed the effort to start a Pedaling for Parkinson’s ride in support of Parkinson Canada in his hometown of Orangeville. Bill helped plan the routes, recruited volunteers and vendors, and was the top fundraiser for the event. Thanks to Bill, the inaugural Pedaling for Parkinson’s ride in Orangeville was a success, and we look forward to building on that momentum in years to come.

  • From uplifting fundraiser to SuperWalk superstar: Ben Smith

    Ben was diagnosed with Early Onset Parkinson’s in August 2019. He reached out to Parkinson Canada to learn more about Parkinson’s and decided to take action by fundraising for our SuperWalk and selling push-ups to raise money. In his first year, Ben completed 225 push-ups and raised more than $5,000. He continues to be a top fundraiser and furthered his impact in 2022 by becoming a volunteer event coordinator for the Calgary SuperWalk, planning the event logistics and recruiting participants, donors, sponsors, and vendors. We are inspired by our SuperWalk participants, like Ben, every day!

  • Corporate Spotlight: Burnbrae Farms

    Burnbrae Farms has been a corporate partner for the Parkinson Canada SuperWalk for a remarkable 17 years. As an egg farming company, they know eggs can be a great source of nutrition in a balanced diet and became involved to promote overall brain health for people with Parkinson’s, and for all Canadians. We extend our deepest gratitude to Burnbrae Farms for their continued support of SuperWalk. Thanks to them, our national SuperWalk raised more than $1.25 million in 2022.

Your generosity by the numbers

We value your gift to Parkinson Canada, and we’re making sure it goes as far as possible for people living with Parkinson’s.

We invested

5.7%

25.5%

33.3%

35.5%

Research: $1,988,377

Programs & Services: $1,860,141

Awareness: $1,425,751

Advocacy & Public Affairs: $320,022

We raised

14.2%

16.6%

0.3%

30.3%

38.7%

Individual Giving: $4,942,018

Events: $2,113,736

Corporate & Foundation: $1,810,358

Planned Giving: $3,861,651

Other revenue: $32,513

Parkinson Canada

2022 Financial Statements

Click image to expand

Statement of Financial Position
As of December 31, 2022

Income Statement
For the 12 months ending December 31, 2022

Tailored support

More than 10,000 Canadians impacted by Parkinson’s benefited from our many free, accessible and tailored programs and services last year, thanks to your support.

We continued expanding our services to be digital-first, ensuring our trustworthy information and resources are accessible to all Canadians impacted by Parkinson’s – while remaining a steadfast source of real-time support through our Information and Referral Services.

In 2022, our downloadable resources were accessed more than ever before, our webinars were viewed by over 8,000 people, and thousands benefited from our more than 80 support groups – including new groups that are tailored to meet the unique needs of our diverse Parkinson’s and care partner communities in Canada.

Whether someone is recently diagnosed, a family member, care partner, friend, or they’ve been living with Parkinson’s for years, your support is what enables them to access Parkinson Canada’s one-on-one support and referrals, educational webinars, expert-provided articles and publications, exercise and wellness resources, safe support groups, and more.

Parkinson Canada and the Davis Phinney Foundation launched the Canadian Edition of Every Victory Counts®

Canadians have long made use of the Davis Phinney Foundation’s Every Victory Counts® manual, a resource for living well with Parkinson’s. However, there are many differences in the health and social service systems between Canada and the US, and as a result, references to statistics, programs, treatments and resources in the original manual may not be fully relevant to Canadians. You helped launch the first-ever Canadian Edition of Every Victory Counts, inspiring and empowering Canadians to thrive. Our Canadian Edition was our most requested resource in 2022, with 1,774 downloads and 1,756 requests for print copies.

Wellness partnerships

With people with Parkinson’s at the centre of everything we do, 2022 marked the launch of our Health and Wellness Program and the creation of our Wellness Advisory Council. This group of dedicated volunteers and Parkinson Canada staff – including people with Parkinson’s, care partners, and a healthcare provider – fostered innovative partnerships with like-minded organizations, enabling us to offer nine fully funded wellness programs for the Parkinson’s community.

  • "I have so appreciated all of the support that Parkinson Canada has provided through meetings and educational sessions during these last two years. For my husband and me, the online sessions have been a lifesaver. Thank you!"

    Margaret, webinar attendee

  • "It is one of the most rewarding roles I have ever held. I feel valued and appreciated and useful in my community."

    Facilitator of our new Living Solo Group, which addresses the unique challenges faced by individuals navigating Parkinson's alone

  • "I would like to thank all of those who worked together to make this program available. A special thank you to Elisabeth for leading the class and inspiring me to keep pushing back in my battle against Parkinson’s. By the end of each class, I definitely felt that it helped with my flexibility and my balance."

    Person living with Parkinson’s and a Health and Wellness Program attendee

  • "This is by far one of Parkinson’s Canada’s best programs that I have encountered. Exercise is fundamental to coping with PD, and the facilitator is a great motivator and leader. The use of recordings is excellent because you don’t have to worry about missing a session, which can lead to abandonment of the program."

    A person living with Parkinson’s disease and Health and Wellness Program attendee

  • "I really enjoyed both the chair yoga and gentle yoga programs offered. The Zoom format is very convenient, and the health benefits are numerous. Thank you for the experience."

    Linda Cormack

  • "Just wanted to thank you for facilitating and offering a warm welcome to my parents! They’ve been apprehensive of support groups, but your welcoming mandarin group for Chinese immigrants is invaluable. Not only did they feel comfortable with the group, but they also got more insight and motivation in one meeting than many months of going to various doctors. We are so grateful for your group and your work, and the donors who make it possible."

    Connie, parent living with Parkinson’s

Innovative research

Fuelled by generous donors, Parkinson Canada’s research program is moving the needle in the search for better diagnoses and treatments for people with Parkinson’s.

Thanks to your support, we increased our investment in Parkinson’s research in 2022, contributing more than $1.6 million and funding 23 new research projects and awards. We provided grants in Canada for movement disorder specialist (MDS) fellowships that allow more doctors to take advantage of the specialized training required to help people with Parkinson’s live well. Together, we are growing the next generation of Parkinson’s specialists in Canada — which will provide Canadians the ability to access expert Parkinson’s care sooner, reducing stress and its negative impact on the disease, and improving health outcomes through earlier intervention.

As we drive collaboration with our international peer leaders in research, including the Michael J. Fox Foundation and Parkinson’s UK, we are bringing together the best and brightest minds to find better ways to design clinical studies and test new treatments. In 2022, we also launched our first ever research competition including people with Parkinson’s as lived experience expert reviewers, to guide us through to a new era of impact as we seek to develop more tailored treatments. Our collective efforts and powerful partnerships with patient and research communities are moving us forward quickly on behalf of people waiting for better treatments.

In partnership with Brain Canada, we continue to grow a collaborative network of researchers, physicians and people living with Parkinson’s through the Canadian Open Parkinson Network (C-OPN). Last year we increased our funding commitment to C-OPN — the first national, open science platform to capture data for people living with Parkinson’s – to support an ambitious plan for growth. Together, we are connecting patients with researchers and clinicians to centralize the best of Canadian Parkinson’s research so it can be leveraged for cutting-edge discoveries that lead to a better quality of life.

Raising your voice

Wait times and diagnosis are some of the biggest challenges faced by those living with Parkinson’s, with some Canadians waiting up to four years for a diagnosis.

Keeping people with Parkinson’s at the centre of everything we do, we were thrilled to host a session in November with people living with Parkinson’s, their care partners, and Movement Disorder Specialists from across the country to identify challenges and brainstorm solutions for accessing Parkinson’s care in Canada.

We also identified key priorities for improving the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s through our Provincial Advocacy Roundtables in 2021. This strategic work informed our formal recommendations to the federal government in 2022, as we worked tirelessly to ensure policies and programs are more responsive to the needs of our community.

Collaboration and advocacy efforts like these are key to inspiring practical solutions that will result in faster diagnosis, shorter wait times for specialized care, and stronger networks of Parkinson’s informed care within the community. This will lead to improved health outcomes, reduced stress and anxiety for the person with Parkinson’s and their care partners, and the ability to take steps to live well with Parkinson’s sooner.

Leveraging this solid foundation, we will strengthen our advocacy efforts in 2023 and continue to be a voice for our community, encouraging governments at all levels to make Parkinson’s a priority.

Fundraising spotlight: The Growling Beaver Brevet

Co-founded in 2015 by Dede Barry, Michael Barry, Garnet Pratt, Evan Siddall, Jody Wilson, and Laura Wilson, cyclists and members of the Parkinson Canada family from Collingwood, Ontario, the event invites participants to ride for wellness while fueling research and raising awareness for Parkinson Canada. Last year, the 8th annual Growling Beaver in Collingwood wrapped up with cyclists and sponsors contributing more than $358,000 in support of Parkinson Canada and adding to the more than $2.8 million raised by the Growling Beaver Brevet to date. Thank you for your incredible support!

Evan Siddall, diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2014, has cycled on the gravel roads and rolling hills of the scenic Beaver Valley for years. Like Parkinson’s, each journey is unique and can take a person in many directions. Despite muscle fatigue and soreness, navigating one’s path requires mental strength and people coming together to support each other.

“Each and every one of you is helping me and many others with Parkinson’s ‘live well today’ and keep the disease at bay,” says Evan of the event’s participants and donors. “And it is still possible: eight years after my diagnosis, I gave one hundred percent at the 8th annual Growling Beaver. I rode 103 km and I felt truly great. You are the reason why. I am deeply grateful to all and humbled by your support. It means more than you know.”

Jeff Parr, a close friend of Evan’s and corporate sponsor of the event, reflects on what it means to see Evan, and others with Parkinson’s who join the ride, discovering how to live a full life despite having Parkinson’s. “Evan is a testament to what living well with Parkinson’s can look like,” Jeff says. “We see Evan and remember to focus on what’s truly important: building friendships and relationships, helping others, and gaining self-fulfillment out of being that kind of person, too.”

We hope you’ll mark your calendar for the 9th annual Growling Beaver Brevet on September 30, 2023, where you can challenge yourself and join this incredible community to support Canadians like Evan.

Started in 2015, the Growling Beaver Brevet is an annual cycling event inspired by its extraordinary co-founders and their vision for people with Parkinson’s to live well.

Board of Directors

This group of extraordinary volunteer leaders represent a cross-section of industries, geographies, community involvement, experiences and skills, as well as people living with Parkinson’s.

Parkinson Advisory Council (PAC)

The Parkinson Advisory Council (PAC) is a diverse and inclusive representation of Canadians diagnosed with Parkinson's, care partners, family members and others with lived experience. Launched in 2021 and comprised of 12 members from across Canada, our PAC ensures the perspective of people impacted by Parkinson’s is integrated into everything we do.

Research and Clinical Advisory Committee (RCAC)

The Research and Clinical Advisory Committee (RCAC) advises our research team and Board of Directors on the state of Parkinson’s research, clinical care and emerging trends relevant to the Parkinson’s community. The composition of the committee mirrors the professionals who come together to provide multidisciplinary care for Canadians with Parkinson’s, and includes members of the scientific and clinical communities, health professionals engaged in patient care, and lived experience advocates.

Your support ensures that a full, vibrant life is still possible for over 100,000 Canadians living with Parkinson’s.

Our community of supporters is growing, and so is our collective impact. Thank you for all you made possible for people living with Parkinson’s in 2022!

For more information about volunteer opportunities or to make a donation:

Call: 1-888-664-1973
Email: donate@parkinson.ca
Visit: parkinson.ca/donate

For more information about Parkinson’s and available support:

Call: 1-888-664-1974
Email: support@parkinson.ca
Visit: parkinson.ca