Who We Are The Parkinson Association of Northern California (PANC) is an organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with Parkinson's, their families and carepartners throughout our region. We live our motto, "Until there's a cure....hope and healing every day."
What is Parkinson's disease? Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive, neurological disease that destroys the cells in the mid brain which produce "dopamine," one of the chemicals that transmits movement control signals. When approximately 80% of these cells no longer produce dopamine, one or more of PD's primary movement symptoms begin to appear: resting tremor; slowness of movement; stiffness; and/or gait or balance problems. Other symptoms such as small cramped handwriting, lack of arm swing, and decreased facial expression may appear. From A Carepartner's Perch by Marianne Oliphant
At our first doctor’s visit, we were given a packet of information about Parkinson’s disease and about PANC. We started visiting support groups close to where we lived - 3 to begin with - and found all of them wonderful places of welcome and encouragement. No longer did we feel like we were traveling this path alone. We also attended the PANC annual conferences and, again, found so much information and comradery. | Our Programs With the assistance from a generous community of donors and volunteers, we are able to provide the following benefits for our region's Parkinson's community:
m PANC President's Message by Nancy Kretz Why are PANC’s services important?
| s Support Groups PANC is proud to facilitate a network of more than 30 area support groups. Please note that meeting dates and locations are subject to change. Contact the Support Group facilitator to verify meeting information. d Upcoming Events
m ParkinsonWISE® What is ParkinsonWISE®? The Parkinson Association of Northern California partnered with Kaiser Permanente Neuroscience on this unique opportunity from the the medical community to provide targeted wellness education for fitness and wellness professionals that have clients with Parkinson's disease (PD) or those who want to work with this spec Click here to learn more about our ParkinsonWISE®trainings and to find ParkinsonWISE® certified trainers. Big Day of Giving 2017 THANK YOU! Your gifts amounted to $16,170! We are so very grateful. Scenery photos above by Larry Alver Photo of Parkinson's Walk above by Antonio Santos. Visit his website Here |
Parkinson’s disease entered my life when my husband, Ron, was diagnosed in 2010. Parkinson’s doesn’t just strike the person with the condition, in most cases it’s a family disease. He and I embarked on this new adventure together.
Just talk with someone who is involved with PANC programs or attends a Support Group - they tell the story much better than I could. It’s about connecting with others who deal with Parkinson’s disease - learning, sharing, understanding and motivating! Activity and socialization are key factors in reducing the intensity of PD symptoms and simply making the most of life!- Home Page