Written By David Gomez
STRATHROY - Rain fell steadily over Strathroy’s Town Hall on April 10, but a small group still gathered to mark Parkinson’s Awareness Month with a flag-raising ceremony organized by Parkinson Society Southwestern Ontario.
Municipal representatives, organization members, caregivers and people living with Parkinson’s stood together as the green and white flag was raised outside the building, a gesture meant to bring visibility to a condition that continues to affect thousands across the region.
Kendra Stapleton, community engagement coordinator with the organization, said the event was part of a broader effort to connect people with support while improving public understanding of the disease.
“Our mission of bringing hope closer to home (…) includes helping people recognize the early warning signs and connecting individuals to vital resources and opportunities in their hometowns like Strathroy,” she said.
Stapleton added that awareness remains central, both to improving quality of life and addressing the strain on caregivers. “Raising awareness and funds are essential (…) and reducing the number of folks impacted by caregiver burnout,” she said.
Mayor Colin Grantham kept his remarks brief, acknowledging both those living with Parkinson’s and those who support them. “I am aware of the impact that it makes on the care partners… thank you for what you do,” he said.
Brad Richards, a former Strathroy councillor and Deputy Mayor who now serves as chair of the organization’s board, spoke about his own diagnosis and the role of community programming. He recalled the moment Parkinson’s was first identified after a series of tests.
“And that was the beginning,” Richards said, adding that support groups and initiatives—including exercise and arts-based programs—have since become central to the organization’s work.
“It doesn’t affect just the people with Parkinson’s, it’s the whole family,” he said.
Parkinson’s is one of the fastest-growing neurological conditions in the world, affecting thousands of people across Southwestern Ontario and many more family members whose lives are shaped by caregiving, treatment decisions and the day-to-day realities of the disease. As the number of diagnoses continues to grow, so does the need for practical support close to home.
