Monthly Member Community Gathering - April

April 22, 2025 - 7:00 - 8:00 PM EDT

On the fourth Tuesday of each month, YOPN members come together to learn, engage, and support one another.  It's a great opportunity to connect with fellow members, share experiences and insights about living with YOPD,  discuss personal challenges as well as potential opportunities, and learn how others thrive beyond diagnosis.  This is your safe space - a place you can be real with others who understand what you're experiencing.

Don't miss this opportunity to connect with YOPN members and explore what's possible as you create your own path forward. 

PMD Alliance Presents

Deep Brain Stimulations:Real People. Real Experiences.

Register Here

During Parkinson’s Awareness Month (April), hear from two DBS ambassadors who made the decision to have Medtronic DBS and will share their unique stories and answer questions that only people living with DBS therapy can answer, such as:

• Why did you decide to have DBS?
• What is the DBS surgery like?
• How did it feel when your DBS system was turned on for the first time?
• How has your life changed after DBS?

Join us for this live, informative and personal conversation to learn more about Medtronic Deep Brain Stimulation.

PMD Alliance Presents

YOPD: A Different Approach to Parkinson's Disease

Register Here

Join us to learn about an FDA approved 24-hour subcutaneous levodopa-based therapy.

Featured speaker:

Michael Soileau, MD

The emPowered!® livestream series features livestream branded talks with movement disorder clinicians on medication and treatment options for symptoms and issues related to Parkinson’s disease. These programs are designed to increase your understanding of the options available, equipping you to have informed conversations with your healthcare provider and are an important part of disease management. emPowered!® livestreams are provided in partnership with our industry partners and due to FDA regulations will not be recorded, and slide presentations will not be made available.

Special thanks to our partner AbbVie.

YOPN Live Event

The Perch, McLean VA.

Saturday, May 3^rd from 2 PM - 4 PM

https://www.capitalonecenter.com/visit

What is The Perch? It’s a park in the sky!

This serene village green soars more than ten stories above the bustling street on top of Capital One Hall and is connected to the Watermark Hotel.

We will meet in the grassy seating area in front of the stage.  From 2 PM to 5:30 PM, a live acoustic guitarist will perform.

All food and beverages will be purchased individually ( we hope to draw a big crowd, and then interest some sponsors for future events, so that cost for food and drink may be covered in the future)

Starr Hill Biergarten is located right next to the stage where beverages and food can be purchased as well as food trucks where you can find additional options.

In case of rain, we will meet at the indoor Starr Hill Brew Pub located on the first level of the same building.

Questions? Contact Elaine  Lsmith252627@gmail.com.

PMD Alliance Presents

Focused Ultrasound for Parkinson's and Essential Tremor

Register Here

Join us to learn about focused ultrasound from two neurology experts, including:

• How patient eligibility is determined
• What areas are targeted for treatment
• The neurosurgeon's perspective on focused ultrasound for PD and ET

Michael G. Kaplitt, MD, PhD specializes in the neurosurgical treatment of movement disorders at Weill Cornell Medicine - New York Presbyterian Hospital.

Paul S. Fishman, MD, PhD is clinical professor of neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Speaker Series:

Getting Real About Depression, Anxiety, and Apathy with YOPD

May 13, 2025 7:00 -  8:00 PM EDT

Hear from fellow members, social media mavens, and fabulous YOPN podcasters, Esther Labib-Kiyarash and Melissa Livingston as they discuss their journey with mental wellness and YOPD.

During this Q&A panel style discussion, you will hear them talk about:

• Their personal stories with YOPD and mental wellness
• Tips for getting through the tough times
• How you can help dispel the stigma around the psychosocial effects of YOPD

They will answer your questions, too!  Don’t miss this opportunity to chat live with Mel and Esther!

About Our Speakers

Melissa LIvingston is an author, podcaster, advocate, and the creator of #ParkinsonsLooksLikeMe, a movememt dedicated to reshaping perceptions around chronic illness and disability. A proud mom of four, Melissa was born and raised in New York and now calls Texas home. Her work centers on holding on to hope, embracing the idea of falling forward, and promoting mental wellness and mental health. Through her storytelling and advocacy, she is passionate about humanizing disability and creating space for authentic, inclusive conversations that inspire resilience and connection.

Esther Labib-Kiyarash is a former hospital Director of Performance Improvement/Risk Management based in El Paso, Texas.  She holds a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from Texas Tech University and is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality.  She is active on social media as an Ambassador and Advisory Board Member for the Parkinson’s Foundation’s Southwest Chapter.  Her Parkinson’s diagnosis video on TikTok has been viewed over a quarter of a million times.  She has two children and is happily married to an amazing Doctor of Pharmacy.  An avid traveler, she was recently diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s disease at the age of 47. 

PMD Alliance Presents

GI Issues in Parkinson's : From Prodromal to Progressive Disease

Register Here

The gut may play a bigger role than you think in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's. Join us to explore common gastrointestinal (GI) issues that occur in people who are in the prodromal phase, during which there are early indications someone could develop Parkinson's. Our speaker Delaram Safarpour, MD, MSCE, FAAN will cover:

• What role inflammation, environmental toxins, and infections may have in the development of Parkinson's
• The Gut-Brain Axis and how the body's microbiome can impact the development and progression of PD
• Future diagnostics and treatment strategies targeting the gut for PD

About the Speaker

Delaram Safarpour, MD, MSCE, FAAN is the medical director of the Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Program at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). Her research focus is on the effect of DBS in the treatment of movement disorders as well as gastrointestinal dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease. She oversees several clinical trials and has authored and co-authored several peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on gastrointestinal dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease as well as DBS in the treatment of movement disorders.

Monthly Member Community Gathering - May

May 27, 2025 - 7:00 - 8:00 PM EDT

On the fourth Tuesday of each month, YOPN members come together to learn, engage, and support one another.  It's a great opportunity to connect with fellow members, share experiences and insights about living with YOPD,  discuss personal challenges as well as potential opportunities, and learn how others thrive beyond diagnosis.  This is your safe space - a place you can be real with others who understand what you're experiencing.

Don't miss this opportunity to connect with YOPN members and explore what's possible as you create your own path forward.