ABSTRACT
Advocacy to me is leaving the cause in better shape than when it was first
found.”
Terry Bowers, PAN Texas State Co-Coordinator and
young-onset Parkinson’s disease patient
Though no scientific evidence exists to measure the impact of advocacy on
individuals with chronic diseases and specifically Parkinson’s disease, we
believe that advocacy is one way for Parkinson’s patients and their loved
ones to recapture a sense of power over their lives. We have seen first hand
the life-altering effects of successful advocacy efforts. In a sense, many
patients feel as if they have gotten their voice back. As Joan Samuelson, the
founder of the Parkinson’s Action Network (PAN) has said, “The day you got
your Parkinson’s diagnosis, you joined a very empowered group of people.”