PR Newswire
MIAMI, June 1, 2015
MIAMI, June 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Parkinson Foundation announced today
that the greater Boston and greater Washington, D.C., communities will be the
first to launch a new initiative this summer: the Edmond J. Safra National Parkinson's Wellness
Initiative. The program is a partnership between the National
Parkinson Foundation (NPF), the NYU Langone Parkinson's and Movement Disorders
Center and JCC Manhattan.
Jewish Community Centers (JCCs) in Boston and Washington, D.C.,
along with an NPF Center of Excellence (COE)—Beth Israel Deaconess Medical
Center (BIDMC) in Boston and Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) in
Washington, D.C.—were awarded grants to provide this Parkinson's wellness
program in their cities. Together, the JCCs and COEs will deliver services to
help people living with Parkinson's stay active, connected and empowered.
Both locations will offer three Parkinson's-specific fitness
classes per week, a weekly care partner support group and seasonal educational
events. The Washington, D.C., program is a partnership between GUMC and the JCC
of Greater Washington in Rockville, MD. The Boston program is a partnership
between BIDMC and the JCCs of Greater Boston in Newton, MA. The program is open
to the full community – no matter a participant's medical or religious
affiliation. Classes are offered at low-cost and JCC membership is not required
to participate in the program.
"These JCCs were selected for the Edmond J. Safra National
Parkinson's Wellness Initiative because of their ongoing commitment to excellence
and inclusion for all members of their communities. This commitment, in tandem
with the high-quality support and expert care provided by the local NPF Centers
of Excellence, will be a powerful new resource close to home for patients and
families," said Joyce Oberdorf, NPF President and CEO. "We are eager
to launch two more sites by 2016 in order to continue to expand services to
help more people live well with Parkinson's."
"We recognize the importance of wellness programs in
helping patients to work together with other people with Parkinson's and
caregivers in an active way to improve their quality of life," said David
K. Simon, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical
School. "Expansion of wellness programs through this initiative will
have an immediate and positive impact on Parkinson's patients in our community,
and we are honored to be a part of this program."
"The Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston is proud to
be partnering with BIDMC and NPF to expand wellness opportunities for
individuals living with Parkinson's in the Greater Boston area. With generous
support from the Edmond J. Safra Philanthropic Foundation, this program will
enhance the JCC's ability to fulfill our mission and serve everyone in the
community. The initial response to the program has reinforced that there is a
significant need among people living with Parkinson's and their families,"
said Mark Sokoll, President/CEO of the Jewish Community Centers of Greater
Boston.
"This program is on the cutting edge of the international
movement towards greater collaboration between patients, providers and
community organizations," said Amy Lemen, LCSW, managing director of the
Edmond J. Safra National Parkinson's Wellness Initiative and associate director
of support and community services at NYUL PMDC. "We are grateful to
Mrs. Lily Safra and the Edmond J. Safra Philanthropic Foundation for their
vision in helping to build high quality partnership programs and services that
are making a difference now in people's lives."
This program is funded through the generous support of The
Edmond J. Safra Philanthropic Foundation. If you would like to learn more about
The Edmond J. Safra National Parkinson's Wellness Initiative, visit www.parkinson.org/wellness or call the NPF
Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (473-4636).
About Parkinson's Disease (PD)
Affecting an estimated one million Americans and four to six
million worldwide, Parkinson's is the second most common neurodegenerative
disease after Alzheimer's and is the 14th leading cause of death in the United
States. It is associated with a progressive loss of motor control (e.g.,
shaking or tremor at rest and lack of facial expression) as well as non-motor
symptoms (e.g., depression and anxiety). There is no cure for PD and 60,000 new
cases are diagnosed each year in the United States alone.
About the Edmond J. Safra Philanthropic Foundation
The Edmond J. Safra
Foundation supports hundreds of projects related to science and medicine,
education, religion, culture and humanitarian relief in over 40 countries. The
Foundation has provided significant funding for Parkinson's disease
research and patient care at dozens of hospitals and institutes in places
as varied as Natal (Brazil), Toronto, New York, Grenoble, Paris, London, and
Jerusalem. For more information, visit www.edmondjsafra.org.
About the National Parkinson Foundation (NPF)
Founded in 1957, the National Parkinson Foundation's mission is
to improve the quality of care for people with Parkinson's disease through
research, education, and outreach. NPF has funded more than $189 million in
care, research and support services. For more information, visit www.parkinson.org, or call the NPF
Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (473-4636).
About the NYU Langone Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center
The Parkinson's and
Movement Disorders Center at NYU Langone Medical Center was established in 2007
with the generous support of the Edmond J. Safra Philanthropic Foundation to
help individuals and families living with PD and other movement disorders to
achieve the highest possible quality of life now. In only 7 years of existence,
the Center has established itself as a leader in PD care, research, and
outreach on the local, national and international levels, and it has quickly
grown to be one of the largest movement disorders center in NYC. The Center was
awarded the prestigious designation of NPF Center of Excellence in 2009. For
more information, visit http://parkinson.med.nyu.edu/
or call 646-501-9241.
About the JCC in Manhattan
Located on 76th Street and
Amsterdam, the JCC is a vibrant non-profit community center on the Upper West
Side. The cornerstone of progressive programming in Manhattan, the JCC
serves over 55,000 people annually through 1,200 programs each season that
educate, inspire, and transform participants' minds, bodies, and spirits.
The Marti Ann Meyerson Center for Health & Wellness is at the heart
of the JCC's efforts to create a holistic environment that allows members to live
their healthiest, most vibrant, and most complete life possible, serving people
from every age and stage. For more information, visit www.jccmanhattan.org.
Media Contact:
Leilani Pearl
305-537-9907
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-edmond-j-safra-national-parkinsons-wellness-initiative-launches-in-boston-and-washington-dc-300090185.html
SOURCE
National Parkinson Foundation
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