MP shows her support for awareness week

Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage has pledged her support for Parkinson’s UK’s ‘We Won’t Wait’ fundraising campaign.

The charity’s first public fundraising campaign aims to raise money to support research into the development of treatment options.

Parkinson’s Awareness Week runs from April 10 to 16, and World Parkinson’s Day, which marks the birth of Doctor James Parkinson, is today.

Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological disease which is thought to affect around one in every 500 people.

Research released by the charity has revealed a lack of public knowledge, with nearly 50 per cent of people in the south east believing that it is possible to prevent Parkinson’s. More than four in five people do not know that the amount of time Parkinson’s medication works for is limited.

Ms Dinenage said: ‘Parkinson’s Awareness Week is an incredibly valuable initiative, which I am glad to be a part of.

‘Parkinson’s UK has been pioneering research into a cure for nearly 50 years, and I’d urge everyone to get behind it, whether by donating, participating in local events, or sharing stories about how Parkinson’s has affected you, a family member or a friend. Parkinson’s is such a cruel disease, and those affected desperately need to see the progress that only cutting-edge research will deliver.’