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While Parkinson’s disease most commonly hits patients later in life, it also impacts younger people. For that group of people and their families, Team Theracycle would like you to know about an Ohio event upcoming in mid-November 2012: The Midwest Young Onset Parkinson Conference.

Our friend, Julie Sacks, Director, of the APDA National Young Onset Center in Winfield, IL was kind enough to provide details below.

If you’re in the midwest, certainly worth attending. If not — please consider making a donation to support the Conference.

The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) National Young Onset Center and the National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) will hold the 7^th in a series of young onset conferences in Cincinnati, OH – November 16-17, 2012.

Yes, you did read that correctly, it is a conference for young people with Parkinson’s disease (PD).  Many people are still don’t think of the terms young and Parkinson’s as ones that go together, yet up to 15% of the 1.5 million Americans with the disease, are considered “young onset.”

What exactly does “young” mean when it comes to PD?  From a medical perspective, “young onset” is strictly defined as diagnosis under the age of 40. It is not uncommon, though, to see it defined as under the age of 50 (sometimes even 60).  As a general rule, people who are working full-time at the time of diagnosis will consider themselves “young onset.”

People with young onset Parkinson’s disease tend to experience a slower progression of the disease and a smoother course; however, they live with it for a much longer period of time than those diagnosed later in life. As a result, it is critical that young people with Parkinson’s disease and their families attend to issues such as long-term medication management, family relationships, and planning for the future from a financial and legal perspective.  The upcoming Midwest Young Onset Parkinson Conference will include presentations by experts in these areas and more.

The conference begins the evening of Friday, November 16, with a Meet and Greet Reception facilitated by local Parkinson’s advocate, Ben Contra, and featuring an “Ask the Doc/Open Mic – Q&A Session with Dr. Alberto Espay.  Friday night’s program will be interactive, offering participants an opportunity to meet others who, like them, are managing the disease at an early age.

The conference will continue with a full agenda of speakers on Saturday, November 17.  If you are interested in attending the conference, visit our Website to view the agenda or register now. For those unable to travel to Cincinnati, keynote presentations on Saturday will be Webcast live via the Internet.  Pre-registration for the Webcast is recommended.  Although the program is geared toward people with young onset Parkinson’s disease, much of the content is relevant to people of all ages with PD.

Both sponsoring organizations provide programs and services for people with Parkinson’s disease, their family members and healthcare providers.

For additional information, please contact the APDA National Young Onset Center at 877.223.3801/apda@youngparkinsons.org or the National Parkinson Foundation at 800.4PD.INFO/contact@parkinson.org.