World Parkinson's Awareness Month 2025

Shining a Light on World Parkinson’s Awareness Month Activities Across Africa

April 2025 was a powerful month of connection, education, and advocacy as partners across Africa came together to mark World Parkinson’s Awareness Month. With support from both the Transforming Parkinson’s Care in Africa (TraPCAf) project and the Big Give Awareness Fund, different sites organised a range of impactful events to increase awareness of Parkinson’s disease, amplify local voices, and foster supportive communities.

From educational symposia and awareness floats to radio sessions, performances, and blue-light building illuminations, each activity reflected the creativity, resilience, and commitment of our partners and the communities they serve.

Highlights from different countries

Ghana – RNCH Sogakope

Dr Momodou Cham and his team in Richard Novati Catholic Hospital (RNCH) Sogakope held a vibrant float on April 9th through the principal streets of Sogakope, drawing over 300 participants, including people living with Parkinson’s and their carers. On April 11th, they joined the global Spark the Night campaign by lighting up the hospital gate in blue — potentially the first in Ghana. Daily radio jingles and outreach to churches extended the reach of their campaign, while a support group session included exercises focused on Parkinson’s, such as sit-to-stand.

Ghana – Accra (Parkinson’s Disease Support Group Ghana)

With the theme Empowering Lives, Quality Care for All, the team in Accra marked World Parkinson’s Day with a public symposium and panel discussion aired on two media outlets. Their month-long awareness efforts included a hospital outreach where a patient was identified and referred for care, community engagements with market women, a webinar for pharmacists on Parkinson’s medications, and TV interviews. They also shared educational resources from Parkinson's Africa with patients and carers.

Ghana – Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District

The team in Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District marked World Parkinson’s Day with an outpatient awareness session.

Kenya – Nairobi (PSGK) & Kisumu

The Nairobi team hosted a large-scale event on April 12th that brought together over 200 attendees for performances, film screenings, and an awareness fair. A tall building in the city was lit up in blue as part of the Spark the Night initiative — a first for East Africa. The team also secured media features throughout the week, including a televised Parkinson’s Day interview on KBC and several newspaper stories.

The team in Kisumu held an awareness walk to commemorate World Parkinson’s Day.

Kenya – Kilifi & Mombasa

Kilifi and Mombasa sites joined forces for a memorable awareness walk and performance in Kilifi under the theme Shining a Light on Parkinson’s. The event featured participation from people with Parkinson’s, carers, and community members, alongside media interviews and news coverage.

Nigeria – Lagos (ADPF)

The Adewunmi Desalu Parkinson’s Foundation (ADPF) hosted a webinar on World Parkinson’s Day that brought together stakeholders across Nigeria. The team also organised radio and TV interviews throughout the month in local dialects, distributed printed educational materials, and actively shared awareness messages on social media. Their support group session in April featured personal stories and documentary viewings.

Egypt – EgyParkinson's

EgyParkinson’s hosted a large event at El Nas Hospital attended by more than 120 people, including 30 people living with Parkinson’s and carers and over 80 volunteers. The event featured medical experts, interactive sessions, and fun activities. A new gift shop initiative was launched to support sustainable fundraising and increase visibility for the cause.

Ethiopia – PPSOE

In Addis Ababa, the Parkinson Patients Support Organization Ethiopia (PPSOE) held a community event that brought together individuals with Parkinson’s, healthcare professionals, and families. The programme included awareness talks, group activities, and the distribution of Parkinson’s informational materials in local languages.

Uganda – Parkinson's Si Buko Uganda

In Buwala village, Jinja district, Parkinson's Si Buko Uganda organised an energetic campaign focused on awareness, education, and community engagement. Their activities included a fun run, walk competitions, boxing and dancing sessions, all aimed at boosting mood, encouraging movement, and breaking stigma. Participants wore blue Parkinson’s-themed T-shirts and received medals and gifts. The campaign promoted physical activity and built a sense of solidarity among individuals with Parkinson’s, carers, and the wider community.

Cameroon – Parkinson’s Camp Program

In Cameroon, Dr. Temgoua and his team focused on promoting their Parkinson Camp Program, a quarterly two-week intensive rehabilitation initiative that combines physiotherapy, speech therapy, dance, occupational therapy, dietetic workshops, and cognitive stimulation. The program targets early to mid-stage patients and aims to help participants regain motor functions and improve their quality of life. The April spotlight helped raise visibility for this impactful model and encouraged early-stage patient participation.

South Africa – Phila Sonke

Coinciding with World Parkinson’s Day, the Phila Sonke Wellness Initiative hosted a vibrant Community Sports Day for People with Disabilities (PWDs) at the Kopanong Centre in Dobsonville. With support from Gauteng Province and private sponsors, nearly 120 participants arrived, full of energy and excitement. The day featured a diverse range of games—both traditional and modern—including board games like Ludo, Chess, and Morabaraba, as well as physical activities such as soccer, shot put, swing ball, relay races, and wheelchair races. The event served as a joyful reminder that disability does not equal inability and celebrated the importance of inclusion, participation, and shared experiences.

From urban symposiums to village fun runs, the dedication shown by every site reminds us of what’s possible through collaboration. Parkinson’s Africa is proud to work alongside these incredible teams through the TraPCAf project and the Big Give Awareness Fund to ensure that no one faces Parkinson’s alone.

This post has been tagged with: #Events

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