August 2025

From the Board

PD Active continues to serve our community through exercise classes, support groups, events and social gatherings. The financial contributions from our members, friends and families allows us to offer and expand the classes, activities and the many opportunities to meet up and support each other throughout the year. If there is a class, an activity, a support group or event you have wanted to try, now’s the time! 

Below is a snapshot of the ways PD Active continues to meet the needs of our members.

PD Active By the Numbers

Over 2,300 people receive the monthly PD Active eNews and Weekly Reminders 

On average, 100 people attend PD Active weekly In-Person and Online Zoom exercise classes. All classes are listed on the calendar here.

Our 11 In-Person activities per month are attended by approximately 50 people. Monthly Activities include Pickleball, Ping Pong, Hiking, and the AALP (African Americans Living with PD) Walk in the Woods. More information here.

Attendance for our 14 Monthly Support Groups averages about 200 people. Please check the website here for a complete list of support groups.

452 donors in the last 12 months helped to ensure we can continue to provide these services and activities at no cost. You can donate today.

Changes at PD Active

Thank You Cathy Ball

Please join the PDActive Board in wishing PD Active Program Director Cathy Ball success in her new position as an English teacher at Yu Ming Chinese Charter School in Oakland.

Since March 2020, Cathy has been the friendly voice on the phone when you call PD Active. Ever willing to help in whatever capacity, Cathy has been an important part of getting us through the pandemic and supporting our current programs.  Cathy will be representing PD Active at several events in early August, so if you see her be sure to thank her for all she has done for PD Active in the last 5 years.

Programs and Events

In-Person: Parkinson’s Disease and the Environment: Causes & Prevention

With Dr. Sam Goldman (UCSF)

Date: Saturday, August 9

Time: 10:30am (in-person)

Location: BMUC: 1710 Carleton Street, Berkeley, CA 94703

Sam Goldman, MD, MPH, is a Professor in the Division of Occupational, Environmental, and Climate Medicine and the Department of Neurology at the University of California San Francisco, and an investigator at the San Francisco VA Health Care System. Dr. Goldman has published extensively on the epidemiology of Parkinson’s disease, with a focus on environmental risk factors including pesticides, solvents and head injuries, and their interaction with genetic susceptibility factors. 

More information and registration here.

Register Here.

African Americans and Friends Walk in the Woods

Dates: Friday, August 1, AND Friday, August 8

Time: 10:30am – 11:30am 

Location: Canyon Meadows, Redwood Regional Park, Oakland

More information here.

PD Active depends on donations to bring programs like these to our members. We remain grateful for your contributions.

Save the Date

The Next Frontier: Cell Therapies for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease

Saturday, September 13, at 10:30am (on Zoom)

Learn how cell therapies may transform the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

Register here.

More information here.

Annual Fall Gathering in the Park

Saturday, October 11 at 1:00pm 

Live Oak Park, Berkeley 

Dr. Bas Bloem: “Is Parkinson’s Disease a Pandemic?”

Saturday, November 8 at 1:00pm (on Zoom)

Access all our past events on our website.

Community

Pizza for Parkinson’s

Hands On Pizza Making Class 

Date: Monday, August 18

Time: 3:00pm – 4:30pm

Location: in Berkeley 

Very limited spots available

RSVP to reserve your tickets now: Aaron.Daley@ucsf.edu

Deadline: August 8, 2025

More information here.

Thank You to our Recent Donors

New Monthly Donors

Steven and Bess Sternberg

Donors

Brian Bernardis

Jenny Bowen

Becky Dowdakin and Flora McMartin

John Yee and Donna Wong

Donations in Honor Of

Carol Justman – in honor of Risë Justman

Steven Tollefsrud – in honor of Lee Tollefsrud

Donations in Memory Of

Jeff Robbins – in memory of Mary Spletter