World Parkinson Coalition® Launches Young Onset Webinar Series

WPC hosts WPC4YOPD webinar series on Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, December 3, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The World Parkinson Coalition (WPC) is holding a free webinar series on Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease, known as WPC4YOPD. This series will offer support and resources to people living with or interested in learning about Young Onset Parkinson's Disease. This three-day series will launch on Wednesday, December 4, 2024.

Parkinson’s disease is the fastest growing neurological disease. About 10 percent of people with Parkinson's experience symptoms before age 50. Approximately 90,000 new cases of Parkinson's are diagnosed each year in the United States, meaning around 9,000 individuals are diagnosed with YOPD in the USA each year, and globally, this means that more than one million people live with Young Onset Parkinson’s.

“Parkinson’s is a diagnosis that impacts not only the person, but their family and friends around them. When it’s Young Onset PD, that adds layers of complexity as so many people with YOPD are in mid-career, raising families, and trying to plan for the future. A diagnosis of YOPD complicates those plans in many ways, and so we are hoping that this series will be a valuable resource for people who are navigating a diagnosis of YOPD, whether in year one or five years down the road, we know our presenters will have valuable tips to share with viewers,” said Eli Pollard, WPC Executive Director.

The goal of this series is to explore topics that are directed towards living with YOPD, recognizing that the concerns and disease experience is different for those diagnosed early in life whether looking at the individual's role in managing their PD, their relationships with others, and their medical care. Even from person to person, each person with YOPD is going to experience their PD differently, but this series should help in that navigation.

“When I was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson's shortly after the birth of my daughter, I was in shock and I hid my diagnosis for two years for fear of people thinking I was less capable. It was only when I went to the World Parkinson Congress in 2019 and met other people living with YOPD that I realized all was not lost and felt empowered to take control. I wish I had this YOPD webinar series available to me when I was diagnosed. And as a Dietitian, I am excited to talk about how people with YOPD can improve their life with the PD through nutrition,” Richelle Flanagan, Registered Dietician, Person with YOPD, WPC Alumni Ambassador

Registration and details can be found at https://portal.qwikcast.tv/Parkinson/YOPD

"Living with Young Onset Parkinson's disease comes with unique challenges, and this series intends to shed light on them for both the YOPD community and those seeking to understand more. I'm looking forward to moderating a session on Psychiatric and cognitive medication side effects in Parkinson's disease," said Dr. Rebecca Miller, licensed clinical psychologist and Associate Professor at the Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Person with YOPD.

Learn more about and register for the WPC4YOPD Series at: https://portal.qwikcast.tv/Parkinson/YOPD

This series is made possible with support from Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America.

About the World Parkinson Coalition^® and WPC 2026
The World Parkinson Coalition Inc provides the only inclusive international forum for learning about the latest scientific discoveries, medical practices, caregiver initiatives and advocacy work related to Parkinson's disease. The 7th World Parkinson Congress (WPC 2026) will take place from May 24-27, 2026, in Phoenix, AZ, USA and is expected to attract more than 4,000 people.

About Parkinson’s Disease 
Affecting more than one million Americans and nearly 11.8 million people worldwide, Parkinson’s disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s. There is no cure for Parkinson’s and 90,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the United States alone.

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Julie Winn
World Parkinson Coalition
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