Parkinson’s Europe will play an important role at World Parkinson Congress (WPC) in Barcelona, Spain, this July. Taking place every three years, this is the only scientific event that unites people with Parkinson’s with world-class experts and healthcare professionals as they debate the latest discoveries – and explore how to live well with the condition
Are you ready for the sixth World Parkinson Congress (WPC)?
The exciting event will take place in Barcelona, Spain, from 4 to 7 July 2023. Organised by the World Parkinson Coalition, this triennial international forum is the only scientific event to gather the entire Parkinson’s community together – including those with the condition, world-renowned experts and healthcare professionals. Its aim? To share the latest scientific discoveries and medical practice developments linked to Parkinson’s – and to explore how those with the condition can achieve the best quality of life.
Parkinson’s Europe played a key role in the very first WPC back in 2006 and has contributed to its success ever since through support and promotion efforts. This year, with the event taking place for the first time in mainland Europe, the organisation will have a higher profile than ever as the only European Parkinson’s umbrella association.
So, what can people expect from the upcoming event?
1. Leadership Forum
The WPC Leadership Forum, which is co-chaired by Parkinson’s Europe director general Russell Patten, will take place on 3 July – the day before the World Parkinson Congress begins.
This invite-only event will see more than 100 leaders from the global non-profit Parkinson’s community come together. CEOs, executive directors and senior staff will discuss best practice approaches in Parkinson’s fundraising – and seek to expand their knowledge on how to serve people in the community.
With an opening presentation on the Leadership Forum’s ‘Vision, Mission and Values’, the event will involve three key sessions:
- ‘The evolution of the Leadership Forum: Where we go from here’ – with a welcome address from the World Parkinson Coalition’s executive director Elizabeth ‘Eli’ Pollard.
- ‘Finding solutions’ – including insights from the World Health Organization’s Dr Tarun Dua on the public health approach and a discussion on eradicating Parkinson’s stigma.
- ‘Mobilising and connecting communities’ – exploring public policy development around the world and setting out strategic goals and objectives for the Coalition to work towards over the next three years.
The approved goals and objectives will be presented at the WPC Closing Ceremony on 7 July. After the Congress, these solutions will be shared alongside a final report with the World Health Organisation, government agencies, pharmaceutical industry partners and other stakeholders.
2. Working Groups
Focused Working Groups were set up after the last WPC in 2019, with keen support from Parkinson’s Europe. Over the past four years, these groups have regularly met to discuss and try to determine solutions for some of the challenges faced by the Parkinson’s community.
Parkinson’s Europe research manager, Amelia Hursey, and director general, Russell Patten, have been involved in these Working Groups, which have focused, respectively, on ‘Engaging People with Parkinson’s in Clinical Research’ and ‘Young Onset Parkinson’s’. The other Working Groups include: ‘Global Equity, Access and Inclusion’; ‘Building International Relationships’; and ‘Technology’.
On 4 July, these groups will report back on what they have learned – and outline their focus for the coming three years. At the event, Parkinson’s Europe’s partnership project manager, Francesco De Renzis, will co-chair the Working Group session focused on ‘Anti-Stigma and Parkinson’s’.
3. Clinical Research Village
The WPC Clinical Research Village hosts a range of talks and panel discussions that are open to all. From around 11:30am to 2pm CEST on Wednesday, 5 July, through Friday, 7 July, the talks will cover a range of topics, such as worldwide partnerships, equity, diversity and inclusion, and global considerations in research.
These talks include a discussion exploring patient involvement and engagement, which will be moderated by Amelia Hursey at 11:45am CEST on Wednesday.
“It’s a unique opportunity for everyone in the Parkinson’s world who has an interest in research to come together and learn from each other,” says Amelia. “I’m very excited to hear what everyone has to say and to bring that knowledge back into my work at Parkinson’s Europe.”
4. Parkinson’s Europe presentations and booth
At this year’s WPC, Parkinson’s Europe will have four in-person poster presentations to share informative insights with attendees about a variety of topics.
Two of these posters focus on scientific studies with which it has been involved. The first explores the treatment of ‘advanced’ Parkinson’s in collaboration with the pharmaceutical company Britannia. The second investigates the usability, understandability and acceptance of the MY PD-CARE digital tool for tracking and communicating the symptoms of Parkinson’s in collaboration with the pharmaceutical company AbbVie.
The organisation’s remaining poster presentations focus on A Parkinson’s Manifesto for Europe – the Parkinson’s Europe resource that aims to shed light on what is important to those in the community – and its educational campaign on improving sleep. Session times for these posters can be found on the Parkinson’s Europe website.
In addition, on Wednesday through Friday, attendees can visit Parkinson’s Europe at WPC booth 703. Team members will be collecting information and data across the five key focus areas outlined in its manifesto – with visitors invited to share what is happening in their country around advocacy, education, treatment, wellbeing and research. Those unable to attend can share thoughts from their country by completing an online form.
5. Award for Lizzie Graham
For Parkinson’s Europe, a WPC highlight will be the presentation of the prestigious Robin A Elliott Award for Outstanding Community Service to its very own Board member, co-founder, former secretary general and former executive director Lizzie Graham.
As Lizzie enters retirement, the award is a fitting tribute to her decades of work for the Parkinson’s community. The presentation will take place on Wednesday, 5 July, at 9am CEST.
As one of her many achievements, Lizzie can be credited with helping to make the WPC the success it is today. In 2004, the World Parkinson Coalition was set up with the explicit purpose of uniting the Parkinson’s community against the condition by holding a regular conference.
Working towards holding its first-ever Congress in Washington, US, in 2006, the Coalition turned to Lizzie and Parkinson’s Europe – then the European Parkinson’s Disease Association (EPDA) – to help forge connections with prominent names in the European Parkinson’s community.
“They had few lead-ins at that time and appreciated our close involvement and support – not only from a European level but also from a global level because of all the contacts we had,” Lizzie remembers.
“We were more than willing to spread the word as widely as possible. I notified people like Professor Bas Bloem, Professor Eduardo Tolosa, Professor Fabrizio Stocchi, Professor Per Odin and so on.” She was also proactive in promoting the WPC among EPDA members and wrote to them asking for support.
Lizzie says: “These early beginnings set the scene for our contribution to all future WPC events, leading to the present day with Russell Patten on the steering group – and the involvement of what is now Parkinson’s Europe.”
