Your 2025 Impact

A message from our leadership

Thanks to your support, Parkinson Canada made bold strides in 2025. We launched a new strategic plan, Limitless, along with a refreshed vision, mission, and values. Our plan reflects the voices and needs of our community, who shared the gaps they face in accessing care, the stigma they encounter, and the isolation that too often accompanies life with Parkinson’s.

Limitless serves as our roadmap to the year 2030, when nearly 150,000 people will be living with Parkinson’s. Behind that number are families grappling with a fragmented care system, long waits for a diagnosis, and limited access to specialists. Too many people are losing their sense of joy and purpose, feeling disconnected and alone.

Parkinson’s symptoms can push people into the shadows—but at Parkinson Canada, we hope to inspire people affected by Parkinson's to embrace the wobbles, the wiggles, and the wonky moments. Because of your support, people affected by Parkinson’s can stand in the light—connected, supported, and inspired.

“Empowering this community isn’t possible alone; we must achieve it together—and your support makes that possible. Thank you for being part of the Parkinson Canada community and for standing with us as we work toward a world where no one is limited by Parkinson’s.”

Karen Lee, Ph.D.

President and CEO

Liz Loewen

Chair, Parkinson Advisory Council

Michael Rothe

Chair, Board of Directors

Because of you...

Together, we will create a world where no one is limited by Parkinson’s.

Your impact by the numbers

20,000+ people learned
and felt connected through our webinars

400+ volunteers gave their time

$16,333,971
raised in 2025

We answered 2,470 calls and 2,583 email requests for support

104 support groups
across Canada

56 research grants awarded via
$2.2M in research funding

Nearly 530,000 people visited parkinson.ca to access information and support

$3,512,835 raised through events

$97,465 invested in community programs through our CARE Fund

134 volunteer support group leaders

A bold vision for the future

Limitless:

A world where no one is limited by Parkinson’s

Limitless, Parkinson Canada’s new strategic plan is a bold and unwavering roadmap that will support our community in reclaiming the narrative of living with Parkinson’s. Moving forward—purposefully, and alongside our community, partners, and experts, we will transform the lives of people affected by Parkinson’s in Canada.

Our vision:

A world where no one is limited by Parkinson’s

Our mission:

To empower and inspire people living with Parkinson’s and their care partners to thrive and live courageously.

Our values:

We integrate the perspectives of the Parkinson’s community in everything we do.
We courageously challenge conventional perceptions to foster transformative change.
We collaborate to develop meaningful, supportive, and resilient networks for the Parkinson’s community.

Better together

We know we can’t achieve our ambitious goals alone. And thanks to your support, we’re piloting innovative models of care that will help close gaps across Canada.

Parkinson Canada is building new kinds of support that can help people with Parkinson’s no matter where they live in Canada. We’re investing in research that will reshape the future of Parkinson's—and it’s all thanks to you.

Accelerate access to care

Breaking down barriers to ensure timely and equitable access to high-quality care for people living with Parkinson’s in Canada.

Boost the profile of Parkinson’s

Raising awareness, reducing stigma, and ensuring Parkinson’s is recognized as a public health priority.

Cultivate partnerships

Building strong collaborations with community members, health care professionals, researchers, and policymakers to amplify impact.

The plan was co-created with our community and partners through extensive consultations. By listening and learning about what the Parkinson’s community truly needs, we established three strategic priorities:

Limitless, Parkinson Canada’s new strategic plan is a bold and unwavering roadmap that will support our community in reclaiming the narrative of living with Parkinson’s. Moving forward—purposefully, and alongside our community, partners, and experts, we will transform the lives of people affected by Parkinson’s in Canada.

Our vision: A world where no one is limited by Parkinson’s

Our mission: To empower and inspire people living with Parkinson’s and their care partners to thrive and live courageously.

The plan was co-created with our community and partners through extensive consultations. By listening and learning about what the Parkinson’s community truly needs, we established three strategic priorities:

Accelerate access to care: Breaking down barriers to ensure timely and equitable access to high-quality care for people living with Parkinson’s in Canada

Boost the profile of Parkinson’s: Raising awareness, reducing stigma, and ensuring Parkinson’s is recognized as a public health priority

Cultivate partnerships: Building strong collaborations with community members, health care professionals, researchers, and policymakers to amplify impact

Better together

We know we can’t achieve our ambitious goals alone. And thanks to your support, we’re piloting innovative models of care that will help close gaps across Canada. Parkinson Canada is building new modes of support that can help people with Parkinson’s no matter where they live in Canada.

We’re investing in research that will reshape the future of Parkinson's—and it’s all thanks to you.

With you through every step of your Parkinson’s journey

Our programs and resources help people affected by Parkinson’s stay connected, supported and inspired.

Parkinson’s support close to home

Finding Parkinson’s support in your community is easier than ever through Parkinson Canada’s CareFinder—an online directory that provides tailored services based on location and individual needs.

In 2025, Parkinson Canada increased CareFinder listings by 21%, expanding access to Parkinson’s-informed services across Canada. We also launched email notifications to proactively alert people with Parkinson's when new services become available in their area, helping them stay connected to timely support.

We enhanced the user experience by making the directory more intuitive and personalized, including improvements to location filters, programs of interest, language, availability, and cost. A new location-based search feature now enables people with Parkinson’s to find services within a chosen distance from where they are.

In 2025, CareFinder was generously sponsored by Iris Jacobson and Alan Levine, and Jeff and Robynne Potts.

CARE Fund bridges gaps in underserved communities

CARE Fund continues to support the unmet needs of people living with Parkinson’s and their care partners through community grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000. The fund supports local programs that strengthen physical and mental well-being, with a strong focus on advancing equity by reaching underserved, remote, and marginalized communities across Canada.

In 2025, CARE Fund supported 18 programs delivering vital services to people living with Parkinson’s and their care partners. By bridging resource gaps, CARE Fund helps ensure that essential support is accessible to those who need it most.

“The program is thriving in our community and supports not only participants and their care partners, but also provides an excellent learning opportunity for kinesiology students involved. It is a service that is needed in our rural areas, where specialist services are hard to find. We were only able to establish this because of the CARE funding provided. We are grateful for the opportunity to begin building this program and work toward its sustainability in our community.”

- Power over Parkinson’s, CARE Fund grant recipient

“Thank you to Parkinson Canada for offering this grant. The classes and the friendships I developed have helped alleviate the loneliness and isolation I feel due to the progression of my Parkinson’s symptoms.”

- Participant, MoveBetter: Parkinson’s fitness initiative

Connection and peer support

We often hear that following a diagnosis, people sometimes retreat from their community—worried about what others will think or how their new reality will impact their relationships. That’s why it’s so important to connect with people who are navigating Parkinson’s too. Our support groups offer a safe place to feel seen and heard, and to learn from others about how to cope with the challenges Parkinson’s can present. In 2025, we offered more than 100 support groups, both in-person and virtually. Thanks to the generous support of donors, we’re able to provide these groups at no cost to our community.

“I was hesitant to join a support group; I just wasn’t sure it was for me. From the moment I walked in, I felt welcomed and knew that I wasn’t alone in this anymore. Over the last few years, I’ve created friendships with other people like me who understand what life with Parkinson’s is like.”

- Support group attendee

Tools and resources that fit your life

Parkinson Canada offers information in many ways: at events, online, in print, and through downloadable resources. When you’re faced with the challenges Parkinson’s can present, it’s important to be able to access support in the way that suits you best. That’s why we recently launched two new resources to help you navigate life with Parkinson’s:

Care Partnering: Managing Parkinson’s Together is a digital booklet with additional worksheets to help you and the person you care for manage daily life with Parkinson’s. Use it to spark meaningful conversations, strengthen your partnership, and engage more confidently with your health care providers. While care partnering may come with uncertainty, with the right knowledge, tools, and support, it can also become a deeply rewarding experience. We’re grateful for the Rexall Care Network’s support in developing this resource.

Your 10-week Guide: Navigating a new Parkinson’s medication is for people with Parkinson’s who are starting a new medication—and for the care partners and health care providers who are supporting them. Starting a new medication for Parkinson’s can be a big adjustment—physically, emotionally, and mentally. This guide is designed to support you, your care partner, and your health care team in navigating the first 10 weeks with your new medication. By offering tools for self-assessment, goal setting, and effective communication, this guide will help you form new habits, manage side effects, and get the most out of your medical appointments. We’re grateful for AbbVie’s support in developing this resource.

Parkinson’s IQ + You events connect and empower our community

Parkinson Canada brought our signature community event, Parkinson’s IQ + You, to both Montreal and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in 2025. First launched in 2019, Parkinson’s IQ + You is an event series established by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Parkinson Canada is the first partner host to sponsor its own Parkinson’s IQ + You event outside of the U.S.

These events marked major milestones: Montreal was our first-ever bilingual Parkinson’s IQ + You, and the GTA event was our largest event yet, welcoming more than 600 people.

Living with Parkinson’s can feel isolating. Symptoms are unpredictable, and every person’s experience is different. That’s why we create this space for people to learn from experts—and, more important, from each other. Because where else can you look around a room and see hundreds of people affected by Parkinson’s? We’re deeply grateful to our sponsors—Roche, AbbVie, Rexall Care Network, and Right at Home Canada—whose support helped make these events such a success.

Advocacy in action

In 2025, Parkinson Canada continued to work to improve access to care across the country by engaging with federal and provincial policymakers on the issues that matter most to the Parkinson’s community. Given the many leadership changes across Canada, we worked to build new and existing relationships to keep Parkinson’s care, fair financial support, and access to medications top of mind for policymakers. Following the federal election in June, our team spoke with Ottawa policymakers about maintaining access to the medications amidst potential economic disruption.

Nearly half of people living with Parkinson’s in Canada receive care only from their family physician, without access to more specialized care.

At the provincial level, in Ontario, we engaged with MPPs during budget consultations to advocate for improved access to movement disorder specialists and neurologists. Nearly half of people living with Parkinson’s in Canada receive care only from their family physician, without access to more specialized care. We continued this conversation with the Ontario Ministry of Health’s policy team, exploring solutions to improve wait times for specialists and enhance communication among patients, doctors, and specialists.

Explore

Our next ambitious goal is to create a National Action Plan for Parkinson’s. Over the next year, we’ll consult with people affected by Parkinson’s, health care professionals, researchers, and all levels of government to create a holistic plan that enhances care across our country.

Our advocacy work is about ensuring no one living with Parkinson’s is overlooked. With your voices beside ours, we will continue pushing for policies that improve care, strengthen support systems, and create a more equitable future for the Parkinson’s community.

From left to right, Karen Lee, President and CEO, Parkinson Canada; Harry Forestell, who lives with Parkinson’s; and New Brunswick Minister of Health, Dr. John Dornan.

Mr. Forestell shared his personal experience of living with Parkinson’s in New Brunswick, and together, the group discussed ways to improve care in that province.

In 2025, Parkinson Canada continued to work to improve access to care across the country by engaging with federal and provincial policymakers on the issues that matter most to the Parkinson’s community. Given the many leadership changes across Canada, we worked to build new and existing relationships to keep Parkinson’s care, fair financial support, and access to medications top of mind for policymakers. Following the federal election in June, our team spoke with Ottawa policymakers about maintaining access to the medications amidst potential economic disruption.

At the provincial level, in Ontario, we engaged with MPPs during budget consultations to advocate for improved access to movement disorder specialists and neurologists. Nearly half of people living with Parkinson’s in Canada receive care only from their family physician, without access to more specialized care. We continued this conversation with the Ontario Ministry of Health’s policy team, exploring solutions to improve wait times for specialists and enhance communication among patients, doctors, and specialists.

Nearly half of people living with Parkinson’s in Canada receive care only from their famil

Our next ambitious goal is to create a National Action Plan for Parkinson’s. Over the next year, we’ll consult with people affected by Parkinson’s, health care professionals, researchers, and all levels of government to create a holistic plan that enhances care across our country.

Our advocacy work is about ensuring no one living with Parkinson’s is overlooked. With your voices beside ours, we will continue pushing for policies that improve care, strengthen support systems, and create a more equitable future for the Parkinson’s community.

Fighting for better care with and for you

We couldn’t do this work without you—our donors, advocates, and community members. Your generosity fuels everything we do. Because of you, we can gather these insights, share these stories, and speak up for a better future. Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we’re making life better for every family impacted by Parkinson’s in Canada.

Fighting for better care with and for you

We couldn’t do this work without you—our donors, advocates, and community members. Your generosity fuels everything we do. Because of you, we can gather these insights, share these stories, and speak up for a better future. Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we’re making life better for every family impacted by Parkinson’s in Canada.

In 2025, Parkinson Canada continued to work to improve access to care across the country by engaging with federal and provincial policymakers on the issues that matter most to the Parkinson’s community. Given the many leadership changes across Canada, we worked to build new and existing relationships to keep Parkinson’s care, fair financial support, and access to medications top of mind for policymakers. Following the federal election in June, our team spoke with Ottawa policymakers about maintaining access to the medications amidst potential economic disruption.

At the provincial level, in Ontario, we engaged with MPPs during budget consultations to advocate for improved access to movement disorder specialists and neurologists. Nearly half of people living with Parkinson’s in Canada receive care only from their family physician, without access to more specialized care. We continued this conversation with the Ontario Ministry of Health’s policy team, exploring solutions to improve wait times for specialists and enhance communication among patients, doctors, and specialists.

Our next ambitious goal is to create a National Action Plan for Parkinson’s. Over the next year, we’ll consult with people affected by Parkinson’s, health care professionals, researchers, and all levels of government to create a holistic plan that enhances care across our country.

Our advocacy work is about ensuring no one living with Parkinson’s is overlooked. With your voices beside ours, we will continue pushing for policies that improve care, strengthen support systems, and create a more equitable future for the Parkinson’s community.

Nearly half of people living with Parkinson’s in Canada receive care only from their family physician, without access to more specialized care.

From left to right, Karen Lee, President and CEO, Parkinson Canada; Harry Forestell, who lives with Parkinson’s; and New Brunswick Minister of Health, Dr. John Dornan.

Mr. Forestell shared his personal experience of living with Parkinson’s in New Brunswick, and together, the group discussed ways to improve care in that province.

Fueling Parkinson’s research

Every day, donors and supporters make groundbreaking Parkinson’s research possible. Thank you for believing in bold ideas that could help create a life without limits for people with Parkinson’s.

Investing in Canadian Parkinson’s research

Our research program puts people affected by Parkinson’s at the centre of our funding. In 2025, with your support, we funded 56 projects totalling more than $2.2 million.

“Every year, researchers with innovative ideas apply to the Parkinson Canada research funding program. Together with people with Parkinson’s, care partners, and experts in the field, we determine which ones will have the most impact on our community today and offer the potential to change the course of Parkinson’s in the future,” says Ko Currie, Director, Research Programs and Partnerships.

Thanks to the generosity of Dr. Kanta Marwah, we established a new research innovation fund to support unmet needs for people living with Parkinson’s. The Kanta Marwah Research Innovation Fund will move discoveries out of the lab and into the clinic to enhance care for people living with Parkinson's. We’re so proud of the work we’re doing with Dr. Marwah on this fund, helping continue her legacy of support for health research in Canada.

Our robust research funding program continues to grow through unique donor-funded initiatives, partnerships, and your support. The discoveries we make today hold the power to improve lives worldwide. Thank you for believing in Canadian Parkinson’s research. Together, we’re creating a future without limits for the Parkinson’s community.

“This funding allows us to answer a question that comes up every day in clinical care: does this treatment actually help patients?”
-Dr. Pooja Gandhi, New investigator award recipient

“This research grant is crucial for advancing our work and making new discoveries possible. The funding provides the resources we need to carry out the study.” -Dr. Anthony Incognito, Pilot project grant recipient

We asked researchers:

How has this funding helped to advance your work?

“As a junior principal investigator, launching a lab and building a research program takes not only passion and vision, but also critical funding to get things off the ground.”
-Dr. Shady Rahayel, New investigator award recipient

“Simply put, this work would not proceed without their donation.”

-Dr. Phillip Millar, Pilot project grant recipient

Building momentum in Parkinson’s research
across Canada

Two recent gatherings—the SOLVE Parkinson’s Conference in New Brunswick and the Southwest Ontario Parkinson’s Research Day—demonstrated the growing momentum, collaboration, and community leadership driving Parkinson’s research and care across Canada. The SOLVE Parkinson’s Conference, held on October 20 in Fredericton, brought together people living with Parkinson’s, their care partners, clinicians, researchers, and community advocates to explore how New Brunswick’s strengths—such as strong community connections, local support groups, and specialized clinical programs like the MIND Clinic—can be leveraged to improve care and research. Participants discussed provincial barriers to accessing resources and highlighted opportunities to expand existing programs to better support the Parkinson’s community.

Just one month later, on November 19 in London, Ontario, Parkinson Canada hosted the Southwest Ontario Parkinson’s Research Day, which convened researchers, clinicians, trainees, community organizations, and people with lived experience for a full day of learning and collaboration. The event underscored the region’s growing leadership in Parkinson’s research and the importance of patient‑centered studies that incorporate the perspectives of people living with Parkinson’s. Discussions also reinforced exercise as a powerful intervention while recognizing the need for expanded research into new approaches, along with better communication of research findings to the broader community. We’re grateful for Parkinson Society Southwestern Ontario’s partnership on this important event.

A key theme resonating throughout both conferences was the importance of open science, transparent data sharing, and building stronger connections among academic institutions, hospitals, advocacy groups, and community members to strengthen Canada’s national Parkinson’s ecosystem.

Both events were generously sponsored by BlueRock Therapeutics.

Better together: Partnerships expand research opportunities across Canada

We realize that in order to transform the research landscape, we’re stronger when we work together. That’s why Parkinson Canada partnered with like-minded organizations and donors who are also passionate about research innovation throughout 2025. Together, we pushed Parkinson’s research forward. Through partnerships and unique funding opportunities, we were able to fund 59 research grants in 2025—more than double the grants funded from the year before!

In 2025, Parkinson Canada and Brain Canada partnered to fund the Canadian Open Parkinson Network (C-OPN) Data Challenge. This grant opportunity was designed to accelerate Parkinson’s research through innovative use of the C-OPN database. Researchers and clinicians from across Canada submitted proposals that analyzed C-OPN’s de-identified participant data (featuring demographic information, epidemiological and clinical information, and neuroimaging data and genotyping data) to generate new insights into Parkinson’s. Six researchers were successful in securing this first-of-its-kind grant. Challenges like this one help to inspire unique ideas and bring new researchers to the Parkinson’s field.

Inspired by Carlota Lee, founder of the SuperMom Walk/Run, Parkinson Canada partnered with CurePSP (a leading nonprofit focused on progressive supranuclear palsy, or PSP). Our collaboration aims to address gaps in awareness, education, and care for people living with PSP in Canada. Carlota’s personal experience with PSP underscores the need for expanded research and care. We’re grateful for Carlota’s leadership and passion for both Parkinson’s and PSP through her work with the SuperMom Walk/Run.