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.”