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Give a Warm Welcome to Dr. Linda Franchi
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We have wonderful news for our PWP community. Parkinson Wellness Projects are delighted to welcome Dr. Linda Franchi as our new Parkinson’s Community Counsellor. Dr. Franchi brings an incredible breadth of experience and passion to PWP, and we are honoured to have her join our team providing care to people with Parkinson’s across the region.
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After three decades serving the Deaf and hard of hearing communities in a variety of leadership and counselling capacities in Vancouver, British Columbia, Linda relocated to Victoria in 2020. She holds a PhD. from Simon Fraser University, examining accessible communication, family and community relationships and end of life care, and is a certified Death Doula and Advance Care Planner.
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Inspired by the human spirit's ability to transcend enormous challenges and achieve monumental success when quality, accessible services are created and delivered in communities of caring, Linda strongly believes that life is best when we feel connected to ourselves, each other and our communities. She strives to assist her clients in creating and sustaining those connections.
In her spare time, Linda and her family can be found in the garden with their honey bees or out exploring their new community or playing pickle ball. Her family always finds time for a little beauty and laughter which they share with their two furry dog elders, Frida and Sukha, who never fail to entertain.
Dr. Franchi will be available Mondays and Thursdays for one-on-one counselling sessions for people with Parkinson’s, or caregivers to people with Parkinson’s. She is also available for family sessions or group sessions. Please contact PWP for more information or to book an appointment with Dr. Franchi, by phone at (250) 360-6800 or by email at donorsupport@parkinsonwellnessproject.org
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On Tuesday, May 25th, the provincial government of B.C. laid out an ambitious roadmap for re-opening the province. This roadmap includes a four-stage approach to re-opening safely, based on vaccination and case rates, and has given guidelines to everyone interested in returning to normal operations.
The staff and instructors of PWP miss seeing your smiling faces in person, and we’re working hard on adapting our procedures to ensure that we can re-open as soon as safely possible. Our highest priority is making sure that when we open, we can do so safely, warmly, and with full confidence.
When we re-open to physical classes and sessions, we will also be maintaining a strong presence on Zoom for those who are reluctant or not able to attend in-person, and over the summer we will be revamping our website to be more accessible and user-friendly for online and in-person scheduling alike.
We look forward to seeing you all soon! Until then, stay safe, stay well, and keep strong.
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Delilah Smyth at our office, anxiously awaiting your return!
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Over the course of April and May, over forty people from the PWP community took place in a 28-day race to cover as much ground as possible, joining charities from around the world to raise awareness of Parkinson’s and funding for Parkinson’s programs. Our challengers joined the PWP Rabble-Rousers and the PWP Board Warriors, racing together and against one another to show our commitment and community.
Between our two teams, we covered 3,149 miles of activity over the course of 28 days. That’s the entire length of Canada, from Victoria to St. John’s, Newfoundland! The two teams also raised over $16,000 to support programs at Parkinson Wellness Projects, helping us to keep our programs accessible to anyone in need.
Congratulations to Team Rabble-Rousers for racing a combined total of 1,829 miles and securing a solid and enduring lead over the Board Warriors, who logged 1,320 miles themselves. The Rabble-Rousers were assisted by the residents of Amica Somerset House, who joined the race in mid-April and went on to cover nearly 314 miles. Thank you to both the staff and residents of Amica Somerset House (seen below) for your dedication to raising awareness of Parkinson’s Disease and promoting a culture of fitness and good exercise!
Thank you to all of our sponsors and supporters, who gave to make this event a success. As we get our final information from the race organizers, we will be sending out tax receipts to all of our donors.
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Parkinson's In The News:
The Parkinson’s Foundation and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) have released updated exercise recommendations for people with Parkinson’s. The new exercise guidelines include recommended frequency, intensity, time, type, volume, and progression of exercises that are safe and effective for people with Parkinson’s across four domains: aerobic activity, strength training, balance, agility, multitasking and stretching. For more information, and to see a helpful infographic, follow this link!
Australian scientists have made a major breakthrough on a promising treatment for Parkinson’s. Researchers at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health in Melbourne have solved a major hurdle in applying stem cell treatments to Parkinson’s patients, and hope to begin tests on human patients in five to ten years. For more information, visit this link.
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I’m Dead- Now What? Advance Care Planning is a process of thinking and talking about what’s important to you before your faced with a health care crisis or unexpected death. This helps you, and those closest to you, prepare to make future healthcare decisions.
Join Dr. Linda Franchi on Monday, June 14, from 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm for a casual chat to begin thinking about sharing your values, beliefs, and wishes, to support informed health-care decision making that can help you get care that’s right for you.
Contact donorsupport@parkinsonwellnessproject.org or call our office at (250) 360-6800 to sign up or for more information.
The Risks and Concerns of Driving with Parkinson’s: Join us on Wednesday, July 7, from 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm, as the owners of Wallace Driving School, Steve and Joan Wallace, go over the risks and concerns of driving with Parkinson’s. They will cover what you need to know as the disease progresses, give you suggestions on how to be safe on the road, as well as how to know when you may need to give up your license. Have your questions ready as they are prepared to answer anything related to driving and road safety.
Contact donorsupport@parkinsonwellnessproject.org or call our office at (250) 360-6800 to sign-up or for more information.
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Dance for PD® offers internationally-acclaimed dance classes for people with Parkinson’s disease. Participants are empowered to explore movement and music in ways that are refreshing, enjoyable, stimulating and creative.
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For more Parkinson's resources, visit our Resource page on our website. If you have a resource you would like to add, please let us know!
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