Mary Burke, secretary of Meath Branch Parkinson's Ireland, with Bonnie Cooney, manning the Parkinson's Stand at the recent International Women's Day Health Fair in the Claremont Stadium.

Navan 'Walk in the Park' for Parkinson's on Saturday

Claremont Stadium to host fundraising event for Meath branch

Parkinson’s Ireland flagship fundraiser ‘A Walk in the Park for Parkinson’s’ takes place across the country this Saturday, 5th April.

The first fundraiser in Meath for Parkinson's Ireland and the Meath Branch, takes place on Saturday at 11am in the Claremont Stadium, Navan. Participants can register on the day. All are welcome, with refreshments served after the walk.

A series of walks take place nationwide on Saturday, and the organisation hopes that this year’s event will build on the success of last year’s inaugural walk to raise awareness of the condition and funds for the vital services Parkinson’s Ireland provides.

This year’s walk is sponsored by Ireland’s leading home care provider Dovida and takes place in 15 locations across the country to kick off Parkinson’s Awareness Month.

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is an incurable progressive neurological disorder which affects an estimated 18,000 people in Ireland. It was originally described based on a set of motor symptoms: tremors while at rest, slowness of movement, and increased muscle tone or rigidity. However, there are now believed to be more than 40 symptoms related to Parkinson’s, and not everyone with the disease experiences the same combination of symptoms.

There is still plenty of time to get involved in this year’s event, and Parkinson’s Ireland is encouraging people to register online at www.parkinsons.ie and come along on the day to support this family-friendly fundraiser.

Once registered, attendees will also receive an official ‘A Walk in the Park for Parkinson’s’ t-shirt and take part in social events on the day.

“Everyone who participates will make an impact and contribute to raising awareness about Parkinson’s as a condition and promoting better care and support for those living with Parkinson’s and their families,” Shane O’Brien, CEO of Parkinson’s Ireland, said.

“Public donations and taking part and supporting events like ‘A Walk in the Park for Parkinson’s’ generate over 80 per cent of our funds. By signing up and taking part, every person helps to support us in continuing to provide services such as our Parkinson’s Nurse Specialists, and our exercise classes provided by our branches across the country,” he added.

“We were delighted with how successful the event was last year. The event is taking place in five additional counties in 2025. We look forward to seeing the Parkinson’s community in a show of support and unity again on April 5th, and we invite everyone to register on www.parkinsons.ie to make a vital contribution. We are grateful to have the support and sponsorship again this year from Dovida,” he concluded.

Speaking about Dovida’s partnership with Parkinson’s Ireland, Dr Kathleen McLoughlin, Disability Services Manager at Dovida, said, “We’re delighted to once again sponsor this important event to raise awareness of a condition that affects many of our clients and their families. At Dovida, our mission is to help the people we support to live the life they want in their own homes for as long as possible. We are proud to work with Parkinson’s Ireland, an organisation that shares our vision for a supportive, caring society and provides vital services to people living with Parkinson’s all over the country.”

See www.Parkinsons.ie

PARKINSONS MEATH BRANCH

Our usual meet for a Cuppa & Chat is on Friday 28th March at 12 noon in the Balreask Arms, Trim Road Navan. All welcome.