OUR STORY

ParkNC is a statewide initiative led by the UNC Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence to improve access to specialized Parkinson’s disease care across North Carolina.

Our mission is to ensure that every person with Parkinson’s disease has access to high-quality, evidence-based care, regardless of where they live in North Carolina

OUR STORY

How ParkNC Began

In 2008, the UNC Movement Disorders Center, a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence, began a statewide effort to better understand the needs of people living with Parkinson’s disease across North Carolina. Through visits to Parkinson’s disease support groups across the state, conversations with patients and families often started with a simple question: “What would help people with Parkinson's live well in their communities?"

The answer was consistent. Many families were traveling hours to see a movement disorders neurologist, only to return home without access to rehabilitation professionals and community resources experienced in Parkinson’s disease care. At the same time, research was showing that people with Parkinson’s achieve the best outcomes when cared for by clinicians with specialized training in the disease management.

That realization sparked the creation of ParkNC—a statewide effort to connect people with Parkinson’s disease to specialized care, education, rehabilitation, and support, no matter where they live.

ParkNC was about building a team and creating a shared vision. The first interdisciplinary Parkinson’s clinic at UNC came together because physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, social worker, and a neurologist believed that people with Parkinson’s disease deserved coordinated, comprehensive care.

Building ParkNC Team

Many of these professionals generously donated their time, energy, and expertise to help build something that did not yet exist.

Empowering ParkNC Champions

What started as a clinic soon became a statewide mission. Together, this team traveled thousands of miles across North Carolina, teaching healthcare professionals, meeting with community organizations, listening to patients and families, and helping local clinicians develop expertise in Parkinson’s disease care. ParkNC team built relationships, created educational programs, and established a network of providers committed to improving care in their own communities.

Engaging with ParkNC Community

At ParkNC, we believe that improving life with Parkinson’s disease requires more than excellent medical care—it requires informed, supportive communities.

Through speaking engagements, educational programs, community events, and partnerships across North Carolina, the ParkNC team works to increase awareness of Parkinson’s disease, dispel common misconceptions, and advocate for high-quality care. We provide education for patients, families, healthcare professionals, long-term care communities, and the general public on the complexity of Parkinson’s disease, available treatments, community resources, and practical strategies for living well with Parkinson’s through adaptation, exercise, and support.

One of the crown jewels of these efforts was the launch of Moving Day NC Triangle in 2013. What began as a community walk became a powerful annual gathering of patients, families, healthcare professionals, advocates, and supporters united by a common goal: improving life with Parkinson’s disease. Beyond raising awareness, Moving Day generated funding that was reinvested through community grants and local programs, helping strengthen Parkinson’s services throughout North Carolina.

Our team regularly partners with organizations including the Parkinson Association of the Carolinas, the Davis Phinney Foundation, and the Parkinson’s Foundation to expand access to education and resources throughout the state.

THE JOURNEY

From clinic to statewide ParkNC network

HOW WE STRENGTHEN CARE

Evidence - based training partnerships

We partner with and champion clinicians trained in evidence-based Parkinson's programs across North Carolina.

The ParkNC referral network brings together agencies and clinicians across North Carolina who have received specialized training in Parkinson’s disease care. Some have participated directly in ParkNC educational programs, while many others have completed nationally recognized, evidence-based training programs such as LSVT LOUD®, LSVT BIG®, Parkinson Wellness Recovery (PWR!Moves®), and SPEAK OUT!®.

By connecting these resources in a single statewide directory, ParkNC helps people with Parkinson’s disease and their families find rehabilitation professionals with expertise in Parkinson’s-specific care close to home.