Parkinson Society plans Georgetown SuperWalk

Founded 16 years ago by seven Ontarians, SuperWalk has become Parkinson Society Canada's most significant annual fundraising event. With 78 local walks taking place thoughout Canada, including Georgetown, the walk not only raises the necessary funds for important research and support services, it also plays a fundamental role in increasing awareness of both Parkinson's Disease and finding the cure. The Georgetown walk will be held on Saturday, Sep. 9 at the Georgetown South Community Park. The route length is 2km walk or a 5km run. Registration begins at 10 a.m. with the run start at 10:50 a.m. followed by the walk start at 11 a.m. For more information on the Georgetown SuperWalk, call Lisa Buck, 905-877-4081. Parkinson's Disease is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease. The cause for Parkinson's Disease has not yet been identified and there is no cure. The most common symptoms of Parkinson's are tremor, slowness of movement, muscle stiffness and impaired balance. Other symptoms include fatigue, difficulties with speech and writing, sleep disorders, depression and cognitive impairments. It has been estimated that nearly 100,000 Canadians currently live with Parkinson's Disease. Experts predict that this number will double by 2016 due to an aging "baby boomer" population. Parkinson's Disease is not a normal part of aging. Although the average age of diagnosis is 60 years, 20 per cent are diagnosed before the age of 50. Present-day research is focused on finding more effective treatments for Parkinson's disease and on determining its underlying causes.