Why you should care about this Parkinson’s gathering
The World Parkinson Congress is set for May 2026. It’s the Parkinson’s community’s biggest event, and it happens only every three years.
Have you signed up?
People with Parkinson’s disease, their care partners, doctors, and researchers who want to learn about and share the latest stuff out there should go if they can swing it. IMHO.
The congress is an opportunity to meet and talk to others with Parkinson’s, and to learn what the newest research is showing. More than 2,600 people attended the most recent congress, which was in 2023 in Barcelona, Spain.
Look it up. The 7th World Parkinson’s Congress will be held May 24-27, 2026, in Phoenix, Arizona. There may be a wait list as it gets closer.
You should also know that The Unshakable Hiker is hosting a short hike this year during the Congress.
It’s an easy, scenic trek at a lovely city park near the downtown convention center. Details below.
We need a cure
Parkinson’s is no longer just a rare disease that someone’s great-grandpa got. It’s the fastest-growing neurological disease, and the number of people with PD is expected to double by 2040.
That’s frightening.
We’ll need new treatments and strategies for prevention. Getting really smart people together to share what they know will make great strides toward finding a cure.
And people with Parkinson’s who attend can learn about new treatments and gain greater hope of less suffering for themselves and coming generations.
Also important is that they can meet others who face the similar challenges. There’s always solace and comfort in finding empathetic people.
Stem cells and more
The program for this year’s World Parkinson Congress is shaping up; here is an early look. Organizers already are sending “teases” out to people on their mailing list.
Earlier this month I listened to a free Zoom seminar at which three experts talked about stem cell therapies for Parkinson’s.
Stem cells to replace dopamine gone AWOL? This isn’t science fiction – the advances against Parkinson’s are the real deal.
It was fantastic to hear from the people leading the charge on such significant studies.
What I didn’t know in ’23
Incidentally, in 2023, I wrote a post called “A practical problem with the World Parkinson Congress.”
I stated that I was hoping to attend in 2026, but how was I to know what havoc this disease will have wrought on me in the next three years?
Would I be able to walk without difficulty?
Sit through a flight?
Sleep somewhere away from home?
Which Parkinson’s symptoms would be my personal plagues by then?
Well, now that congress is only a few months away, it felt safe to buy tickets for me and the Unshakable Husband.
Join us, we’d love to meet you there!
It could be the best $300 you ever spend.
Unshakable Hiker Group Walk – Papago Park, Phoenix
Join The Unshakable Hiker for a relaxed, supportive early-morning walk on Tuesday, May 26, in the stunning desert landscape of nearby Papago Park. Designed especially for people with Parkinson’s, this “hiking lite” experience is all about movement, connection, and confidence—at your own pace. Transportation provided for a small fee. No pressure. Just fresh air, community, and the reminder that the journey continues. Contact me at unshakablehiker@gmail.com to sign up. I’d love to meet you there!
