A Message From The Founder | |
|
Happy New Year and welcome to 2024!
I trust that this letter finds you having had an enjoyable holiday season. I hope you are rested up because there is much to anticipate for the new year here at U-Turn Parkinson’s. But before we dive into the new year let's have one more glance at 2023.
This past year has been filled with many great accomplishments, among them being our move from Notre Dame Recreational Centre to the Churchill Park United Church where we now hold all of our classes. We have landed in a wonderful place and are very happy with our new space.
We have seen tremendous growth in the number of people attending weekly classes! The word is out if you want a fun, challenging environment to meet PD head on, U-TurnPD is the place to be! Having added Dancing with Parkinson’s, Tai Chi and classes now in Steinbach we are seeing our highest attendance numbers ever. I am so very happy to see that our services are relevant and helpful to our community.
Organizationally we come to 2024 on solid ground thanks to our many donors, our Circle of Champions, the business community, the many foundations and the tireless efforts of our staff in grant writing and the granting bodies who choose to support our efforts.
| |
|
Not to mention the success that was seen both by Winging it for Parkinson’s and the Walk to U-TurnPD. My sincerest gratitude goes out to all of our partners. It is because of all our financial partners that we can continue to offer our services free of charge. Thank you for your continued generosity!
As we turn our attention to the coming year, I am incredibly excited by the direction our board of directors has set out. The fact that we have committed to being in our own space by the end of the year is both exciting and daunting. It excites me because I see every day how much more we could be doing both for our immediate community in Winnipeg but also across Manitoba. It’s daunting because the cost of doing good doesn’t come without significant expense.
However, I am convinced of our strategy going forward and our clear focus on why we are here. We aim to empower those living with Parkinson’s in their pursuit of wellness. The number one thing we need to live well is more dopamine. We know that sweaty exercise will help us produce more dopamine and also help our bodies use the dopamine we have more efficiently. To this end, I am convinced that we need early intervention at the time of diagnosis, providing the individual with an approved, personalized plan challenging their PD from day one.
In order to accomplish all this, we are going to need the expertise, know how, encouragement and financial support of the community at large. I am so excited to see how it all ‘shakes’ together! It’s going to be a great year!
All the very best for 2024! Live Your Best!
Tim
| |
Join Our Circle of Champions
What is the Circle of Champions? It's that group of individuals who see and appreciate the day to day needs of U-Turn Parkinson’s and choose to donate on a monthly basis.
They are often the unsung hero, the bedrock on which our centre is held unshaken. They understand that the fundamentals are not ‘sexy’, that the essentials are not glamorous. But they understand that they are fundamental and essential none the less.
They get ‘it’, they understand, they are the ones who will lock arms with you and stand with you no matter what. This group is generally not made up of the majority, they are typically the few.
Are you a champion? Will you be our Champion? Be our foundation to an unshaken future!
| | |
Research & Learning Opportunities | |
|
Walking Improvement in Parkinson’s disease Research
Physical Therapy and Neuroscience researchers from the University of Manitoba are looking for both individuals with Parkinson’s disease and age-matched healthy control to participate in a clinical trial to evaluate the benefits of various treadmill and cognitive exercise programs in Parkinson disease.
| | |
|
Manitoba Tomorrow Project
The Manitoba Tomorrow Project is a long term health research project with the goal of learning more about the causes of cancer and other chronic diseases.
Research projects such as this have the ability to help find new and improved treatments, methods for detecting disease, and prevention strategies. Hosted by CancerCare Manitoba, they're the Manitoba branch of the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health (CanPath): Canada’s largest population health study with over 330,000 participants spread across each of the nation’s 10 provinces
| | |
|
Lab Study Opportunity at the University of Manitoba – February 8, 2024
The University of Manitoba Master of Physical Therapy Program is looking for people with Parkinson’s Disease to participate in a lab with physiotherapy students. At the lab you would work with a group of 5-10 physiotherapy students, who will be testing your strength, flexibility, balance, and walking. They will also have you do some basic exercises.
The lab is on Thursday, February 8 and you may choose to participate from 10:00am-12:00pm or 1:00pm-3:00pm. The lab is at the College of Rehabilitation Sciences at 771 McDermot Ave.
If you are interested in participating, or would like more information, please contact the lab instructor Sarah Conci by email at Sarah.Conci@umanitoba.ca or phone (204) 977-5637.
| | | |
|
|
Early Parkinson's Course
The Movement Disorder Clinic is presenting a bi-annual, Parkinson’s disease course to help people who are newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and their families/friends learn about what PD is and how to live well with it.
Please join us for a Free 4 week course
Tuesdays, 1:30-3:30pm, beginning May 7. These sessions may be virtual or in person depending on the situation. You will be notified well in advance.
For more info or to register, call: 204-940-8427 or email: kwilliams3@mdc-dlc.ca
| | |
U-Turn Parkinson’s 2024 Goals | |
|
As we look ahead to 2024, the U-Turn Parkinson’s team is excited about what the new year will bring! Below is information about some of the goals/objectives our team hopes to accomplish in 2024!
-
Continued Community Engagement - U-Turn Parkinson’s wants to continue gaining insight from our membership to ensure our programs and services meet the needs of people with Parkinson’s (PWP), their families and care partners. We plan to continue our Community Advisory Committee meetings quarterly and accept informal feedback from our members throughout the year, in person, via email, or by phone. U-Turn Parkinson’s has launched a community blog on our website and has opportunities for members to submit articles for review and publishing. Continue reading to learn more about the process!
-
Evaluation of Program Benefits - U-Turn Parkinson’s wants to hear from our community about how our programs support you! Do U-Turn Parkinson’s programs benefit your physical, social, or mental health? We plan to discover all our members' thoughts this winter/spring by having members (both PWP and care partners) complete a survey! We will be able to use this information to inform class design and this information will support our grant applications moving forward!
-
Partnership & Community Outreach - U-Turn Parkinson’s plans to engage further with community partners to boost our programs and services and offer exciting diversity in educational workshops and events! We were fortunate to send our community to two Goldeyes games this year and a show, in addition to bringing in a certified art therapist to offer a session for the care partners! We want to continue exploring in-person and online opportunities!
-
U-Turn Parkinson’s Facility - The board and staff will focus much of our effort in 2024 on securing the finances to establish our headquarters! We hope to have a space for classes and offices that is solely ours, eliminating our challenges with programming time availability and limitations to staff accessibility for our members.
-
Manitoba-wide Outreach - We plan to create marketing strategies and build community partnerships to reach all Manitobans, allowing people to learn about U-Turn Parkinson’s and connect to our online live and pre-recorded Parkinson’s programs!
| |  |
|
Don’t Forget to Submit!
U-Turn Parkinson’s Members are Invited to Contribute to U-Turn Parkinson’s Blog!
U-Turn Parkinson’s has opened the opportunity for our community to contribute to the blog posts on our website! For those unfamiliar with blogs, a blog post is a website post typically covering a specific topic, is educational, ranges from 600 to 2,000+ words (a 5-10 minute read), and can contain other media types such as images, videos, infographics, and interactive charts, etc.
| |
For those in our fold who feel they are capable writers, please consider contributing posts to our blog! Pieces can focus on particular Parkinson’s symptoms, care topics, or personal stories. We ask that you keep in mind U-Turn Parkinson’s values of positivity and hope as components to any pieces you contribute!
View our Blog Post Guidelines before you get Started!
Do you have an idea or story to share but are uncomfortable with writing? Send us your ideas so we can connect you with a member to collaborate on a blog post!
U-Turn Parkinson’s Staff are Here to Support You!
U-Turn Parkinson’s staff will assist with the writing process by editing contributed posts, checking grammar and spelling, and asking questions for clarification when applicable.
Staff have created a posting schedule, so do not get discouraged if your post isn’t added to the website immediately. We will be staggering posts and including some in our monthly newsletters. U-Turn staff also have the ability to modify any content deemed inappropriate for posting.
Interested in Contributing?
Read our Member Blog Content Guidelines before you get started to ensure your post is accepted.
First Community Blog Deadline is Friday, January 19, 2024! You can submit blog posts to info@uturnpd.org
If you have a topic idea, you can submit an idea to the form on the website.
Lastly, if you are interested in writing a blog post but are looking for topic ideas, please feel free to email U-Turn Parkinson’s at info@uturnpd.org. We would be happy to pass along ideas submitted by other members!
We are so excited to be able to further engage our community to support the Parkinson’s journey of others!
“You can, you should, and if you're brave enough to start, you will.” — Stephen King
Taylor Devlin
U-Turn Parkinson’s Executive Director
| | |
|
Cancellation Policy
At U-Turn Parkinson’s, we know that life can be unpredictable, and plans may need to change. That's why we want to take a moment to remind you about our cancellation policy.
If a class needs to be cancelled, we will ensure you will be notified at least 2 hours in advance via email. Take a peek at your email inbox before your class time to see if there are any cancellation notices! All class cancellation notifications will only come through U-Turn Parkinson’s. If you’re ever unsure about whether or not a class will take place, feel free to call us at 204-510-4869.
Your well-being is our top priority, and we appreciate your understanding of our cancellation policy. If you ever have questions or need assistance, our team is here to support you. Looking forward to seeing you in class!
| |
From Power Stretch to Empower-U – Steinbach’s U-TurnPD Adventure Continues! | |
We just had an amazing 8-week block of Power Stretch classes in Steinbach! We are so happy to meet new people and give those in Steinbach a place to gather and join our online classes. We began this adventure in Steinbach as a way to be more accessible to all communities and provide a space for participants to exercise in a group by joining our regularly scheduled online classes.
Now, we are excited to start our next 8-week block of Empower-U classes! Our first Empower-U class that will be live-streamed to the Pat Porter Active Living Centre in Steinbach will be on January 5th.
Do you know someone in Steinbach who would be interested in joining us? Have them email us at info@uturnpd.org or call us at 204-510-4869!
| | |
|
We're Hiring!
We're looking for a gifted leader to help our community strengthen and protect our voices through song.
Interested? Call Tim at 204-781-2327 or email tim@uturnpd.org
| |
|
|
New U-Turn Parkinson's Survey: Your Voice, Our Inspiration
As we embark on a new year filled with hope and determination, we're excited to announce a special opportunity for you to share your invaluable insights. At U-Turn Parkinson's, your experience is at the heart of everything we do, and we want to hear from you!
We are rolling out a new survey to see the impact of our U-Turn Parkinson’s programs on your life. Our goal is to measure the perceived benefits of our programs directly from the incredible individuals who make up our community.
We will begin handing out the surveys at the end of January – more information on how to complete the survey will come soon!
Your input is the driving force behind our commitment to creating a positive and impactful experience for everyone at U-Turn Parkinson's. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and insights!
| | |
|
Join the Party in 2024: Dancing with Parkinson's at U-TurnPD!
As we groove our way into the new year, our Dancing with Parkinson’s class continues to be a fantastic place to exercise, mingle, and get creative! Dance is more than just movement—it's a celebration of life and a powerful tool for wellness. Along with the ability for artistic expression, dance can offer many physical and psychological benefits to improve quality of life for those with Parkinson’s Disease (PD).
Why Join Dancing with Parkinson's? Here's are some benefits:
· Flexibility and Balance: Enhance your range of motion and overall mobility. Sway and step to the rhythm, promoting balance and coordination, crucial for daily activities.
· Posture and Strength: Dance is a full-body workout, helping you build and maintain muscle strength, including the muscles that help with posture.
· Cognition and memory: Learning new choreography challenges your brain to strengthen cognitive function and memory.
· Stress Relief and Social Connection: Moving your body in a creative way with other like-minded individuals can relieve stress and improve your mood.
At U-Turn Parkinson’s, we are always exploring holistic approaches to wellness to ensure all aspects of a person are cared for. Dance has emerged as a dynamic and enjoyable way to address many different aspects of PD. We are thrilled to continue hosting our dance class in collaboration with Dancing with Parkinson’s into 2024 and we are so excited to see you all join this class and discover how it can benefit you!
Whether you're a seasoned dancer or taking your first steps onto the dance floor, our inclusive environment welcomes participants of all levels. No dance experience required—just bring your enthusiasm and an open heart!
Ready to Join the Dance Party? Sign up online at uturnparkinsons.org to join us every Tuesday at 11:30-12:30PM!
https://www.dancingwithparkinsons.com/why-dance
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8494947/
https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-019-1365-y
| |
New Swag is Coming Soon!
We're excited to offer you a few new pieces of U-Turn Parkinson's swag to add to your collection!
Get cozy with a U-TurnPD hoodie, a new charcoal grey "live your best" shirt or our classic black U-TurnPD tee.
Swag will be available soon for pick up in Winnipeg. Watch your email for more information!
| | |
U-Turn Parkinson's Community Spotlight | |
 | |
Keith Strachan: U-Turn Parkinson's Community Member and Community Advisory Committee Member
When did you join our U-TurnPD community and how did you first hear about us?
Since being formally diagnosed with Parkinson's on November 25, 2020, I have looked for as many ways to mitigate the progression of this degenerative, movement-centred, neurological disease.
In the course of educating myself about as many things Parkinson's as possible, I discovered a number of key tenets important when considering a local, beneficial, on-going Parkinson’s therapy plan.
1. MOVEMENT is a key to wellness, and as it turns out, is critically important for those living with Parkinson’s.
“If you move, your body will allow more movement." — Ido Portal
2. DANCING is an excellent opportunity to move in ways beneficial to those plagued by PD symptoms. Toronto-based Dancing with Parkinson’s (henceforth referred to as DWP) offers safe, and inclusive programming for people living with Parkinson's disease in order to create meaningful connections, address isolation and shut-in behaviour and to remain physically active.
“Dance is your pulse, your heartbeat, your breathing. It’s the rhythm of your life. It’s the expression in time and movement, in happiness, joy, sadness and envy.” – Jaques D’Ambroise
| | |
|
3. U-TURN PD is a local Parkinson’s-focused organization that strives to guide individuals in improving their quality of life while living with Parkinson’s, by offering a variety of accessible in-person classes, online classes and community support.
“Take action! An inch of movement will bring you closer to your goals than a mile of intention.” ― Steve Maraboli
By December of that fateful year (2020), literally days after my life-changing diagnosis, I had found and enrolled in two programs that were designed to address the principles I had determined were crucial for PD symptom mitigation: U-Turn Parkinson's and Toronto-based Dancing with Parkinson’s (DWP).
I was fortunate that I had a rather extensive background in information systems and online research. Using my skill set, I found U-TurnPD in my first online foray into PD resources. DWP I stumbled upon through a conversation I had with members of Parkinson’s Canada.
My research lead me to a number of primary PD resources available and useful to Individuals living in Canada:
1. U-Turn Parkinson's
2. Parkinson Canada
3. The Canadian Open Parkinson Network
4. Dancing With Parkinson´s (DWP)
5. David Phinney Foundation
Why do you attend U-TurnPD's Dancing with Parkinson’s and why do you think it’s a good class for those living with PD?
Connecting U-TurnPD and DWP seemed a must-do! And so, after introducing the two organizations to one another, they both took up the challenge of creating a U-Turn/DWP offering in Winnipeg!!
This was incredible news and a true "hat's off" needs to go to Tim Hague, Taylor Devlin, and Sarah Robichaud - the people that made this work.
Fast forward to this fall...
| | |
|
January is Alzheimer's Awareness Month in Canada, and it is a great time to discuss bringing more awareness to Parkinson’s disease and Dementia.
Generally the first thing you think of with Parkinson’s disease are the physical symptoms such as a tremor, however cognitive function, including forgetfulness and trouble with concentration may arise further into the disease progression. Dementia can develop, which can cause memory loss, making it hard to maintain relationships.
Click below to learn about a couple types of dementia that are common amongst the Parkinson’s disease community and treatments and therapies that could be helpful!
| | |
|
|
Become a PD Avenger today!
You can join the Global Alliance raising their voices for those living with Parkinson's Disease by clicking HERE.
PD Avengers is not a charity nor affiliated with any one organization. Their mandate is to use the value of combined effort, influence and skills to prove Parkinson’s matters and to build a sense of real urgency to end this disease.
| | |
We are so grateful for all funding provided to U-Turn Parkinson's. Sponsorship & Grants Provided by: | | | | |
