WellnessWorks Exercise Classes | | |
Join the BIDMC WellnessWorks program for access to online exercise classes for people with Parkinson's and related disorders. Classes are taught live on Zoom by instructors trained in the needs of movement disorders. At the time of payment, you may select your membership level and length. If the program fee presents a burden, please contact us.
New members may email wellnessworks@bidmc.harvard.edu for a free trial!
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Spring Session In-Progress
Currently, our Spring Session is underway (February 9th- May 10th, 2026). To register for the remainder of this session, please reach out to wellnessworks@bidmc.harvard.edu
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Summer Session Coming Soon!
Celebrate the end of a long and cold winter by joining us for the Summer Session of WellnessWorks, which will run May 11th - August 16th! Sign up soon to lock in some great summer plans. The best part about our Zoom offerings is that you can take them on the go, whether you are traveling or just enjoying the nice weather outside. We can't wait to lunge, jab, and more with you!
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JCC Boston Wellness Programs
In collaboration with BIDMC, the JCC Greater Boston hosts a variety of in-person and online exercise classes. View the JCC Spring Flyer and contact 617-558-6459 to register.
| | Ongoing Networking Groups and Wellness Programs | | |
Wellness Programs for Parkinson's and Related Disorders
Below is a list of ongoing wellness programs for people with Parkinson's or a related disorder and their care partners. Read more about each program on our website. To join a program, contact wellnessworks@bidmc.harvard.edu.
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Young People with Parkinson's (5/6/26 - 4:30-5:45pm); Register Here
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Calling All Artists (5/7/26 - 1:30-2:45pm)
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Managing the Middle Years, Topic: Pain in PD (5/14/26 - 3-4:30pm); Register Here
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MFA Virtual Tour (5/18/26 - 10:30-11:30am)
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For and About Women, Topic: Pelvic Floor Health (6/18/26 - 1:30-2:45pm); Register Here
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Learn the Ropes (6/25/26 - 3:00-4:30pm); Register Here
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Parkinson's: It's A Family Affair [Adult Children Group] (9/15/26 - 5-6pm); Register Here
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PD Care Partner Support Group (Meets Bi-Weekly) **Current Openings**
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PD Golf: Putting & Driving (4/23, 4/30, 5/7, and 5/14)
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Rock On! Rock-Climbing (Meets Weekly)
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Picklin' Parkies Pickleball for PD (Meets Weekly)
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Exciting Offerings Through Our Community Partners!
Interested in dancing your way into spring? Join Jewish Family and Children's Service (JF&CS) for an in-person bilingual Spanish-English dance class designed for people with Parkinson’s. The class will be held at the Waltham Council on Aging on Thursdays from March through June. Registration is required. Learn more and sign up today here!
| | New Wellness Collaboration | | |
Introducing Reiki
Research suggests that people living with Parkinson’s disease are at greater risk for stress and more sensitive to its effects, as stress can worsen both motor and non-motor symptoms. Care partners, too, may face increased stress as they support a loved one on their PD journey.
Through WellnessWorks, participants can explore stress-management tools like exercise classes and social connection through networking groups. Now, we’re excited to introduce another wellness practice to your toolbox, Reiki, made possible through a new partnership with BIDMC Volunteer Services.
Reiki (pronounced “ray-key”) is a gentle relaxation technique rooted in the concept of “universal life force energy.” Sessions may involve light touch or hands held just above the body and are designed to support the body’s natural ability to restore balance and promote a sense of calm. Studies have shown that Reiki may help improve quality of life and reduce perceived stress and pain, particularly for those with chronic illnesses.
At BIDMC, Reiki sessions are brief (about 15 minutes) and provided by a trained practitioner while participants remain fully clothed. This service is available at no cost to BIDMC patients and care partners.
To schedule a session before or after a visit, contact kdrastal@bidmc.harvard.edu.
| | Cast Your Vote on 5/28: Watch the Winners with Us | | |
Are you a lover of The Voice? American Idol? Maybe America’s Got Talent is more your speed... We know you love a good competition, and this event brings that same energy to a great cause.
Mark your calendar for Thursday, May 28, 2:00–3:15 PM and join us for "Watch the Winners." This VIRTUAL screening features the top films from the 2026 Short Film Competition at the 7th World Parkinson Congress. Each short film is only a few minutes long, but they pack a serious punch.
We are excited to feature Karen Sauer, a talented member of our "Calling All Artists" community and a person with Parkinson’s. Her video, “Know What I’m Saying?”, was voted one of the top 10 finalists in the world! Karen will be co-moderating the session alongside Lissa Kapust, LICSW, WellnessWorks Program Manager. Together, we’ll explore the impact of these creative works.
Will our group’s choice for the winner match the world’s choice? You be the judge! Don't miss out! Join the discussion, experience these incredible short films, and cast your vote!
| | | April Celebrations Bring May Inspirations | | |
Thank you to all who joined us for our wonderful events throughout April in celebration of Parkinson’s Awareness Month!
From blossoming creativity at our Blooms of Hope and Art in Bloom MFA Access Tours floral events, to thoughtful conversation at our Boys of Summer screening with Dr. Cochrane; this month was filled with inspiration and community! To top it off, we even got to shop 'til we dropped at our Sara Campbell fundraiser in Chatham and Concord. We were able to raise over $700 to support WellnessWorks programming.
Thank you to Lissa Kapust, LICSW, for creating so many great events in collaboration with community partners JF&CS and JCC Greater Boston. We are very grateful to all the participants and larger community for helping make these events so special! We couldn't do it without you!
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Spring 2026 DBS Ambassadors Webinar
We appreciate all the participants who joined us for the Spring DBS Ambassadors Webinar on April 6th, 2026! We had over 25 attendees log on to learn more about DBS from our physicians and Patient Ambassadors. If you couldn't make the event but still want to learn more, you have plenty of opportunities to stay engaged with the DBS community and get your questions answered:
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Access a recording of the Spring DBS Ambassadors webinar here, which features Dr. Lan Luo and Dr. Ron Alterman sharing an overview of DBS as a treatment for Parkinson's, essential tremor and dystonia.
- Attend the next webinar (held bi-annually) scheduled for November 2026. Keep an eye on our upcoming newsletters for updates.
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Connect with a DBS Patient Ambassador any point to discuss the experience one-on-one by reaching out to k.drastal@bidmc.harvard.edu to get matched up.
| | Get Involved in Clinical Trials | | Parkinson's trials within the BIDMC Clinical Outcomes & Research Trial Excellence (CORTEX) Program can be found on our website. To inquire, contact pdresearch@bidmc.harvard.edu. | | |
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Biorepository for Motility and Functional GI Disorders Research
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Department of Neurology Biorepository [Flyer]
- Diaphragmatic Mobility in Functional Bloating
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exPDite-2: A Phase 3 Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Midbrain Dopaminergic Neuronal Cell Therapy (Bemdaneprocel) for Participants with Parkinson’s Disease [Flyer]
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NEULARK: A Phase 2, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of NEU-411 in Companion Diagnostic-Positive Participants with Early Parkinson’s Disease [Flyer]
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Parkinson's Disease Repository [Flyer]
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PD GENEration: Mapping the Future of Parkinson's Disease [Flyer]
| | Our Physicians Making Headlines: From Research to the Road | | |
The Parkinson's Foundation funds the Paul Oreffice Innovations in Care Awards to support forward-thinking approaches in clinical care that improve the health and quality of life for people living with Parkinson’s disease.
We are proud to share that BIDMC’s Ludy Shih, MD, and co-collaborator Tim Bickmore, PhD (Northeastern University), have been awarded a two-year, $200,000 grant to support research into testing embodied conversational agents to treat depressive symptoms in Parkinson’s disease.
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In 2025, BIDMC’s David K. Simon, MD, PhD, and Simona Eleuteri, PhD, received a two-year SPARK NS award through the SPARK NS Translational Research Program. This competitive program supports projects that take novel approaches to addressing unmet clinical needs and show strong potential for clinical success.
In a recent article for Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Dr. Simon joined fellow principal investigators from the 2025 cohort to reflect on advancing scientific discovery and the personal and professional connections that inspire their work.
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If this photo looks familiar and you’re experiencing déjà vu, you’re not wrong—Dr. Veronique VanderHorst has once again achieved the incredible feat of running the Boston Marathon! She earned a personal best of 3:27:44 at this year’s race.
The same dedication Dr. VanderHorst brings to caring for patients in our Center extends far beyond the walls of BIDMC and onto the roads through her commitment to marathon training. She doesn’t just recommend the benefits of movement and exercise, she lives them. Thank you, Dr. VanderHorst, for inspiring us to stay active and keep persevering toward goals big and small.
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Stitching a Path Forward on her PD Journey: Paula's Quilts
Engaging in hobbies and leisure pursuits is important in promoting wellbeing. A new diagnosis, or the progression of a condition like Parkinson’s disease, may raise internal questions about whether you can continue doing the activities you love in the same way. At BIDMC’s Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, one patient shares how she has navigated these challenges through her passion for quilting.
Diagnosed nine years ago, Paula Blumberg describes herself as an avid participant in exercise classes like boxing and being in the “middle years” of her Parkinson’s journey. As her symptoms progressed, directly impacting the “fine motor skills" and "steady hand” essential to quilting, she grappled with stepping back from the craft as she once knew it.
Paula did not allow Parkinson’s to take away her identity as an artist, the friendships she built, or the expertise she developed over more than 25 years of quilting. Instead, she adapted. Paula describes PD as a continuous process of adjusting to changing realities across every facet of life. Shifting to pre-printed fabrics, she found a new way to quilt, one that worked with her abilities rather than against them. This change not only allowed Paula to return to a hobby she enjoyed but also gave her the confidence to make adaptations in other areas of her life. Paula credits this openness and flexibility as the backing that helped her piece together a new way forward, one that allows her to "continue being herself and doing the things she loves." Thank you for sharing your story and beautiful quilts with us, Paula!
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Tulip Picking with the Parkinson's Foundation
The Parkinson’s Foundation is partnering with the Massachusetts Horticultural Society this year to offer an opportunity to pick and post your tulips with a purpose! A bed of red tulips is dedicated to the Parkinson’s Foundation New England Chapter at this year’s Tulip Mania.
When: Open now through Sunday, May 3
Where: The Garden at Elm Bank (900 Washington Street, Wellesley, MA 02482)
How: Timed tickets required (link below to purchase) and include five tulip stems
| | Your donations to BIDMC's Parkinson's Disease & Movement Disorders Center help us with leading-edge research and quality-of-life programs for people living with Parkinson’s and other movement disorders. Thank you for your support! | | |
Appointments: 617-667-0519
Wellness, Education, & Support Resources: 617-667-9904
Research: 617-667-9885
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