THE PARKINSON ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA BY BEN OWENS
Parkinson’s disease is one of the fastest-acting neurodegenerative diseases in the human population, yet the condition is largely avoided in conversation. Many people are afraid of the disease and the symptoms it presents, which results in those with Parkinson’s eventually isolating themselves from the world. The Parkinson Association of Southwest Florida has been working to overcome that fear for more than 20 years by bringing discussions about the disease into the open. Not only that, but they also offer a support group specifically focused on medical cannabis and its impact on Parkinson’s patients. I had the chance to speak with members of the Association’s staff and learn more about who they are, what they’re doing, how they’re handling medical cannabis, and the impact that their efforts are having on patients and the community at large.
WHO IS THE PARKINSON ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA? The Parkinson Association of Southwest Florida was started in Naples, Florida in 1997 by two retired school teachers. For much of the Association’s early years, it was a primarily grassroots, volunteer-driven effort, run from their living room. There wasn’t a formal structure or business organization, it was simply volunteers coming together to help patients in the community. The Association has since formalized as a nonprofit organization, but volunteers remain their heartbeat. It is entirely self-funded through the support of the residents of Southwest Florida and receives no government or national organization 33
