• SKIP TO CONTENT
  • SKIP NAVIGATION
  • Patient Resources
    • COVID-19 Patient Resource Center
    • Clinical Trials
    • Search Clinical Trials
    • Patient Notification System
    • What is Clinical Research?
    • Volunteering for a Clinical Trial
    • Understanding Informed Consent
    • Useful Resources
    • FDA Approved Drugs
  • Professional Resources
    • Research Center Profiles
    • Clinical Trial Listings
    • Market Research
    • FDA Approved Drugs
    • Training Guides
    • Books
    • eLearning
    • Events
    • Newsletters
    • JobWatch
    • White Papers
    • SOPs
    • eCFR and Guidances
  • White Papers
  • Trial Listings
  • Advertise
  • COVID-19
  • iConnect
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Home » Parkinson's Foundation adds new patient advisors

Parkinson's Foundation adds new patient advisors

May 29, 2017
CenterWatch Staff

The Parkinson's Foundation welcomes five new members to its People with Parkinson's Advisory Council. The appointments reflect the foundation's ongoing commitment to engage with the community in its work to create a world without Parkinson's disease.

"The Parkinson's Foundation has a track record of listening and responding to the needs of the Parkinson's community," said John L. Lehr, chief executive officer, Parkinson's Foundation. "We look forward to partnering with our advisors to improve our programs and to ensure that people with Parkinson's live their best lives today."

The People with Parkinson's Advisory Council, established in 2006, is the first patient advisory council in the Parkinson's space. Its members have guided the foundation's work and driven improvements in research, care and patient support. For example, members have shed light on unmet needs, including under-recognized symptoms such as fatigue and constipation, and have prompted new programs, such as the Women and PD Initiative and the Community Choice Research Awards.

"As people who live with Parkinson's, our members represent a community of 10 million people worldwide. We commit ourselves to working on their behalf every single day," said Daniel Novak, Ph.D., of Fort Worth, TX, chair of the advisory council. "We applaud the Parkinson's Foundation for continuing to collaborate with people with Parkinson's and care partners. We are stronger together."

The advisory council's newest members, elected for a term of three years, represent a wide range of communities, professions and volunteer experiences. They include the following individuals:

  • Caryn Balaban, M.P.H., of Phoenix, AZ: a retired healthcare marketing executive, who is care partner to her husband who lives with Parkinson's.
  • Daniel DeWitt, Psy.D., of Grand Rapids, MI: a licensed psychologist who has expertise caring for individuals with chronic illnesses.
  • David Malarkey, D.V.M., Ph.D., of Cary, NC: a veterinary pathologist and research scientist whose scientific career spans 25 years and 100 published papers.
  • Dana Seyfried, M.A., of Roslyn, NY: a professional who works in animal welfare and a former marketing manager, who is care partner to her father who lives with Parkinson's.
  • Robert "Kelly" Sweeney, of Portland, OR: a retired business development and program manager, whose career in the technology industry spanned nearly 40 years.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects nearly one million people in the U.S. and over 10 million worldwide. Parkinson's is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's and is the 14th leading cause of death in the U.S. It is associated with a loss of motor control (e.g., shaking or tremor at rest and lack of facial expression) as well as non-motor symptoms (e.g., depression and anxiety). Although promising research is being conducted, there is currently no cure for Parkinson's disease.

Upcoming Events

  • 24May

    Powering an Effective Oversight Strategy with Clinical and Operational Insights

  • 25May

    2022 WCG Avoca Quality & Innovation Summit: Own the Future

  • 28Jun

    Effective Root Cause Analysis and CAPA Investigations for the Life Sciences

  • 16Oct

    WCG MAGI's Clinical Research Hybrid Conference - 2022 West

Featured Products

  • Spreadsheet Validation: Tools and Techniques to Make Data in Excel Compliant

    Spreadsheet Validation: Tools and Techniques to Make Data in Excel Compliant

  • Surviving an FDA GCP Inspection

    Surviving an FDA GCP Inspection: Resources for Investigators, Sponsors, CROs and IRBs

Featured Stories

  • Protocol-360x240.png

    Avoid Deviations by Making Protocol Review a Team Effort

  • SelectionProcess-360x240.png

    Give Us a Voice: Sites Clamor for a Say on Vendor Selection

  • Convince-360x240.png

    Use Data and Details to Convince Site Leadership to Add Staff

  • AsktheExpertsBadge-360x240.png

    Ask the Experts: Listing Trial Staff and Others on the Statement of Investigator

Standard Operating Procedures for Risk-Based Monitoring of Clinical Trials

The information you need to adapt your monitoring plan to changing times.

Learn More Here
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

Footer Logo

300 N. Washington St., Suite 200, Falls Church, VA 22046, USA

Phone 617.948.5100 – Toll free 866.219.3440

Copyright © 2022. All Rights Reserved. Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing