Healthy Parkinson’s Communities™ Grants > Parkinson Association of Northern California

Rural Outreach in Northern California

Four people working in a field

This project, led by the Parkinson Association of Northern California (PANC), seeks to address barriers to quality medical care and educational resources for underserved Parkinson’s communities in northern California. PANC will collaborate with local doctors, community resource centers, local leaders, and the California Parkinson’s Disease Registry to make connections and build relationships within these communities. Goals include making sure local doctors provide educational materials in both English and Spanish to people with Parkinson’s; building support groups (both in person and virtually) that will support people with Parkinson’s, their families, and their care partners in their understanding of Parkinson’s; and understanding exactly where the populations of people of Parkinson’s are located within the region.

“PANC’s primary goal is to expand awareness and outreach to agricultural areas outside of the Sacramento region where, as a result of exposure to pesticides and other toxic materials, Parkinson’s is most prevalent,” the grant proposal says. “Many of these agricultural areas are in rural areas throughout the state, and many of these areas do not have the technology that is needed for communication with most individuals. We hope that over time we will truly reach all of Northern California.”

Project Team

Kimberly Arredondo-Blanco, BS, Outreach Coordinator

Learn More About The Project

To learn more about this initiative, read this interview or contact PANC’s Outreach Coordinator Kimberly Arredondo-Blanco, at kimberly@panctoday.org.