On Sunday, September 11, walkers, runners and rollers from Port Elgin, Kincardine and surrounding area will come together in North Shore Park, Port Elgin to raise funds in support of those living with Parkinson’s in Southwestern Ontario.

This year, Parkinson Society Southwestern Ontario (PSSO) will be presenting the first ever WALK-IT for Parkinson’s which will be replacing the Parkinson SuperWalk. All funds raised at the event will remain in Southwestern Ontario.

With regular physical activity proven to slow the progression of Parkinson’s symptoms, it is the WALK-IT for Parkinson’s mission to keep the Parkinson’s community active. At 2:00 p.m., pledged walkers will put on their pedometers and begin their 1 kilometre to 5 kilometre to join the 1,000,000 step challenge across the region.

Shelley Rivard, CEO of Parkinson Society Southwestern Ontario, is excited to see what the first ever WALK-IT for Parkinson’s event will bring. “We wanted to add something new and exciting to our walk, something that can be incorporated into the lives of our participants year round. With WALK-IT for Parkinson’s focusing on exercise and movement, we can achieve just that. I encourage those with Parkinson’s, friends, family and care partners to come out, get active and raise funds.”

Parkinson’s is a slow, progressive neurodegenerative disorder, making activities of daily living difficult for someone who has the disease. Primary symptoms associated with Parkinson’s include tremor, rigidity, slow movement, postural instability, loss of balance control, soft speech, and sleep disturbances. Other symptoms include depression, anxiety, dementia, memory problems and difficulty with communication.

You can register for the Port Elgin WALK-IT event here, or for more information about WALK-IT for Parkinson’s, visit www.WALK-IT.ca.