Since 1997, the globe commemorates World Parkinson’s Day on 11 April, the actual birthday date of the London doctor Dr.James Parkinson (1755-1824) who was the first to recognise the disease as a medical condition in 1817, in his famous ‘Essay on the Shaking Palsy’. 

Parkinson's disease is a progressive movement disorder of the nervous system. It causes nerve cells (neurons) in parts of the brain to weaken, become damaged, and die, leading to symptoms that include problems with movement, tremor, stiffness, and impaired balance. 

Nerve cells in the affected part of the brain are responsible for producing a chemical called dopamine. Prevalence of Parkinson's increases significantly for those over 60, though it can affect younger adults. 

Parkinsonism is an umbrella term used to cover a range of conditions that share similar symptoms to Parkinson's. 

World Parkinson’s Day has been the joint initiative between Parkinson’s Europe and the World Health Organisation with the aim to raise awareness of the disease and encourage a change in attitude towards Parkinson’s. 

Since 2005, the red tulip was adopted as the official symbol for the disease. 

World Day celebrations around the world include online awareness campaigns, webinars, conferences, wellbeing and fundraising events.  

As Europe’s population is ageing, and considering less and less young people to provide care, there is an increasing number of people who are not having any family member to assist them and can only rely on public health support.  

Parkinson's Europe is raising a campaign and calls on Europe’s governments to bridge the increasingly urgent care gap before it’s too late. 

This year Parkinson’s Europe stresses 3 focus areas for country’s healthcare system: 

• proactively provide information on Parkinson’s in an accessible, easy to understand format following a positive diagnosis
• diagnosed patients should have access to a Parkinson’s nurse (or equivalent neurodegenerative nurse for other conditions) who can provide consistent, coordinated information and support, and help the person with Parkinson’s to access the healthcare services they need and choose
• European healthcare systems should be responsive to the changing, evolving needs of people with conditions like Parkinson’s, so they can continue to signpost relevant new support as a person’s condition progresses. 

Find a World Parkinson Day event near you!