The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) is pleased to announce that the Parkinson Support Network of Cape Cod (PSN) has been designated a Branch of the American Parkinson Disease Association, Massachusetts Chapter.

Parkinson's disease is a slowly progressive neurological condition that affects over one-million people in the United States. Approximately 60,000 people are newly diagnosed each year. Onset usually occurs in the sixth or seventh decade of life, however up to ten percent of individuals will receive a diagnosis before the age of fifty.

The Parkinson Support Network was founded in 2009 by Joyce Ginouves of Cotuit, following her husband Pauls diagnosis with Parkinsons. She recognized the need for additional services for the nearly one thousand families living with Parkinsons on Cape Cod. Over the years she has assembled an alliance of consumers, health and human service providers, and organizations committed to supporting people with Parkinsons disease and their families/care partners on Cape Cod. During the past five years, PSN has coordinated educational seminars, support services, as well as specialized exercise and wellness programs.

APDAs Massachusetts Chapter is part of the larger national network of the American Parkinson Disease Association, a not-for-profit, voluntary health agency committed to serving the Parkinsons community through a comprehensive program of research, patient education, and support. APDA was founded in 1961 to Ease the Burden  Find the Cure for Parkinsons and is the nation's largest grassroots organization supporting people with the disease and their families.

The APDA Massachusetts Information & Referral Center has worked closely with the PSN and, according to Kristin Stapleton, President of the Massachusetts Chapter, It seems only natural that our organizations join together. Our missions are so closely aligned and APDAs extensive resources, coupled with PSNs local expertise, will better serve the needs of Parkinsons patients and families on the Cape.

This relationship will bring increased education, services, and awareness to the Cape through the APDA Chapters access to professionals and lay volunteers dedicated to providing specialty services supporting those living with Parkinsons. Stapleton went on to say, We look forward to bringing our knowledge and resources to the Cape and to working with the many dedicated volunteers of the PSN. Joyces passion and commitment to serving the PD community is truly inspiring.

Joyce Ginouves said: I am very pleased that our organization has grown from a grass roots level to a known entity on Cape Cod. We currently run 5 support groups and we organize caregiver workshops and wellness activities. And we are in the final planning stages of another great educational series. Joining the APDA will allow us to focus our volunteers and resources and offer even more services to the growing Parkinson community, right here in our own back yard.

To learn more about Parkinsons disease, access services, or to get involved visit www.parkinsoncapecod.org or www.apdama.org or call (800) 651-8466.

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About the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) APDA was founded in 1961 with the dual mission to Ease the Burden - Find the Cure for Parkinson disease. In that time APDA has raised and awarded more than $86 million to fund research, patient services and education, and to raise public awareness. As the countrys largest grassroots organization, APDA serves the more than 1 million Americans with Parkinsons and their families through a national network of chapters, Information and Referral (I&R) Centers, support groups, eight Centers for Advanced Research, and grants to fund the most promising research toward discovering the cause(s) and finding the cure for Parkinsons. Through its research funding, APDA is able to attract young scientists who are new to the Parkinsons field, fund promising research that provides a pipeline to the future and fund pilot demonstration projects that are routinely leveraged for further funding.