With a clear aim to “help, support and mobilise” people with Parkinson’s in Greece and their families, the Association of Patients and Caregivers PAR.KIN.S.O.N. was founded in 2019. Its mission to build a brighter future for people with Parkinson’s began as the dream of the organisation’s president, Fotini Skondra. Five years ago, she gathered people with Parkinson’s with the same attitude to unite for the common cause.
PAR.KIN.S.O.N. now has 200 members, supported by voluntary contributions from the members and external individuals, organisations and health professionals.
This year, the organisation marked its fifth anniversary by joining Parkinson’s Europe, hoping to encourage its members by amplifying the global progress being made in the field.
PE learned more about the organisation’s recent achievements and plans.
PAR.KIN.S.O.N.’s mission for a brighter future
PAR.KIN.S.O.N.’s goal is support and unity for people with Parkinson’s. It’s on a mission to bring people with Parkinson’s closer together, and joining a larger organisation like Parkinson’s Europe is just one way they plan to achieve this.
The association’s ongoing support for its members includes online programmes, and free activities such as dance, yoga and drama therapy. People with Parkinson’s and caregivers are given resources designed to help them manage the everyday difficulties with optimism.
Raising public awareness and sharing news of modern scientific treatment developments are also part of the organisation’s work to support people with Parkinson’s.
Skondra addressed fellow organisations at the Parkinson Europe’s members’ meeting in June. She said PAR.KIN.S.O.N. has just 200 members, although there are 25,000 people with Parkinson’s in Greece. However, she added: “We are a small organisation, but we have very eager, helpful people who are willing to take part in our plans and groups.”
The organisation also strives to highlight problems faced by the community, with the ultimate goal of realising a ‘decent institutional framework’.
Skondra added: “People with Parkinson’s in Greece are disappointed by the situation, as there is no specific health plan for Parkinson’s. That is something we are willing to improve and develop with the help of our health minister.”
Successes
Highlights of its recent work include offering fifteen online seminars with scientists specialising in topics such as interventional treatments, and earning a Humanising Health Award.
The organisation also now offers six therapy sessions each week. These include musical movement (dance-yoga), drama therapy, psychological support for people with Parkinson’s and caregivers, help processing online information about Parkinson’s, nutrition support, and theatre performances.
Other achievements include a social media campaign sharing stories from people with Parkinson’s, and supporting the gold medal-winning iGem Athens team at the 20th iGEM Global Synthetic Biology Competition.
Future plans
Work to create a brighter future for people with Parkinson’s will continue this year and beyond. Skondra says plans include more information-sharing and communication activities between people with Parkinson’s in all regions of Greece. She adds: “So no patient feels alone and no caregiver is helpless.”
PAR.KIN.S.O.N. will also build “numerous contacts with scientific and government agencies to record and claim the best conditions of living”.
The next steps? To work on the new Greek MEPs support form and the Minister of Health’s National Action Plan for Parkinson’s.
Find out more about Parkinson’s Europe’s Member Organisations
Source link : https://parkinsonseurope.org/2024/10/18/greek-organisation-brighter-future-for-people-with-parkinsons/
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Publish date : 2024-10-18 07:00:00
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