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YOPA: A New Generation
Parkinson's disease. Two of the most shocking words that many of us have ever heard - words that are being heard with more frequency by young people daily all over the world. We are not talking about people in their 60's, 50's, or even 40's. We are dealing with individuals in their teens, twenties, and thirties.
When I was first told I had PD, after initial diagnoses of essential tremor and depression, I suddenly found myself lost in life. My future seemed bleak. Within just a matter of months I found myself with a degenerative disease, my wife and children gone, and a remarkable military career ended. There was nowhere to go from there...my life seemed over.
Now nearly three years later I am proud to have helped bring together hundreds of young onset from all over the world. This was initially through www.youngparkinsons.com and is now being carried over with the non-profit Young Onset Parkinson's Association (YOPA), of which I am proud to be a founder and board member.
YOPA is is a grassroots organization, non-profit, (501C3) comprised of people with young onset Parkinson's from throughout the world. YOPA's mission is to raise public awareness and offer support to the young onset community. YOPA also coordinates with local, regional and national Parkinson's organizations in fundraising efforts for research. YOPA’s Board of Directors and representatives are composed solely of people with Parkinson's disease, receiving no salary for their services.
More info on YOPA may be found at www.yopa.org.
Recently, YOPA put together a team of young onset from all over the US for the Unity Walk. This group raised a collective total of over $30,000 for research. This was surely grassroots at its finest.
Currently YOPA is planning its 2nd Annual Parkinson's Symposium and Awareness walk which will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico from 10-12 October 2003. Watch www.yopa.org for more details soon! Last year's event brought in over 100 participants from all over the nation and highlighted some fantastic speakers from NIH, APDA, PAN, DBS Neurosurgeons, and more. This year's event promises to be even more informative. We will be filming a Public Service Announcement (PSA) with which we hope to get national airtime. It is the hope of YOPA to unite young onsets nationwide, providing them with the direct support and understanding they need and seek.
We are always open for ideas and help in reaching our goals. If you would like to volunteer your time and services please email us at directors@yopa.org.
Tom Berdine
President; Young Onset Parkinson's Association(YOPA)
www.yopa.org
Founder; YoungParkinsons.com
www.YoungParkinsons.com