Sir Billy Connolly: a lifetime of helping others

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• Billy Connolly: a lifetime of philanthropy January 9, 2019 Following Billy Connolly’s moving and very personal appearance in the documentary ‘Billy Connolly: Made in Scotland’ on the UK’s BBC Two television channel, we look back at the Glaswegian comedian’s contributions to charity – and they’re just as funny and heartwarming as the man himself In the two-part documentary, ‘Billy Connolly: Made in Scotland’, the legendary comedian reflected emotionally on…
• The road ahead: 2020 January 5, 2020 Here at the SoPD, we are primarily interested in disease modification for Parkinson’s. While there is a great deal of interesting research exploring the causes of the condition, novel symptomatic therapies, and other aspects of Parkinson’s, my focus is generally on the science seeking to slow, stop or reverse the condition. At the start of each year, it is a…
• The road ahead: 2021 January 25, 2021 # # # # At the start of each year, it is a useful practise to layout what is planned over the next 12 months. The events that are scheduled for the year to come, so that we can keep an eye out for them. Obviously, where 2021 will end actually is unpredictable, but an outline of what is scheduled…
• 2019: Year in review December 31, 2019   In this end-of-year post, we review the Parkinson’s research that caught our attention at SoPD HQ in 2019. Month-by-month we will briefly discuss some of the major pieces of research/announcements that have defined the year and advanced our understanding of Parkinson’s. The list is based on nothing more than the author’s personal opinion – apologies to any researchers who…
• [Video] Poetry as Medicine Cafe – Using Poetry to Live Well with Parkinson’s February 25, 2021 Last summer, a group of Davis Phinney Foundation Ambassadors came together for a Poetry as Medicine workshop with Wayne Gilbert. What began as a one-hour session turned into a monthly poetry jam that has resulted in far more than words on a page. At our first ever Poetry as Medicine Cafe, these poets shared with us some pieces of their collection of work. Watch…
• 2020: Year in Review January 1, 2021 # # # # In this end-of-year post, we review the Parkinson’s research that caught our attention at SoPD HQ in 2020. Month-by-month we will briefly discuss some of the major pieces of research/ announcements that have defined the year and advanced our understanding of Parkinson’s. The list is based on nothing more than the author’s personal opinion – apologies…
• Parkinson’s: Reflective Gratitude of Life December 20, 2019 “We don’t need more to be thankful for, we just need to be more thankful.” Carlos Castaneda “Take as a gift whatever the day brings forth.” Horace Introduction: The title of this blog post says it all. At the age of 66 years old, I stand before you thinking I need to be more thankful. Really? Yes, many deserve my gratitude…
• Parkinson’s: Reflective Gratitude of Life December 20, 2019 “We don’t need more to be thankful for, we just need to be more thankful.” Carlos Castaneda “Take as a gift whatever the day brings forth.” Horace Introduction: The title of this blog post says it all. At the age of 66 years old, I stand before you thinking I need to be more thankful. Really? Yes, many deserve my gratitude…
• Planet Patient vs Planet Researcher: From Both Sides, Now June 27, 2018 “I cannot always control what goes on outside. But I can always control what goes on inside.” Wayne Dyer “Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.” Voltaire Setting the Stage: This is Mariëtte Robijn-  She lives in the Netherlands and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the young age of 46.  Mariëtte has a dynamic and vibrant blog…
• Planet Patient vs Planet Researcher: From Both Sides, Now June 27, 2018 “I cannot always control what goes on outside. But I can always control what goes on inside.” Wayne Dyer “Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.” Voltaire Setting the Stage: This is Mariëtte Robijn-  She lives in the Netherlands and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the young age of 46.  Mariëtte has a dynamic and vibrant blog…
• Planet Patient vs Planet Researcher: From Both Sides, Now June 27, 2018 “I cannot always control what goes on outside. But I can always control what goes on inside.” Wayne Dyer “Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.” Voltaire Setting the Stage: This is Mariëtte Robijn-  She lives in the Netherlands and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the young age of 46.  Mariëtte has a dynamic and vibrant blog…
• Shining a light on Parkinson’s November 7, 2019   NOTE: The information in today’s post should not be considered an endorsement of PhotoPharmics or the treatment they are proposing. The author of this blog has had no communication with the company. The information in this post is provided because the author has been asked by readers to discuss it. In October 2018, at the annual International Movement Disorders…
• Monthy research review – December 2019 December 30, 2019   At the end of each month the SoPD writes a post which provides an overview of some of the major pieces of Parkinson’s-related research that were made available during December 2019. The post is divided into seven parts based on the type of research: Basic biology Disease mechanism Clinical research New clinical trials Clinical trial news Other news Review…
• Fan Fiction: The Joke Machine February 19, 2021 Parking Suns reader David Schneider contributed this amusing-but-still-kinda-scary short story about a man dealing with Parkinson’s on a typical day. Thank you, David! The Joke Machine – – David Schneider Once a friend had come for a weekend visit and ended up staying for two years. The “guest” paid half the rent and slept with a single blanket on the…
• Billy Connolly “overjoyed” by Glasgow murals June 13, 2017 The comedian Billy Connolly has been honoured by three murals unveiled in Glasgow’s city centre to commemorate his upcoming 75th birthday Billy Connolly has said he is “flabbergasted” and “overjoyed” by three giant murals unveiled in his honour in the city of Glasgow, where he was born. The 50ft portraits, designed by leading Scottish artists – and recreated by street…
• Life with Parkinson’s in the Time of COVID-19: April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month April 1, 2020 “The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have.” Vince Lombardi “When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this: you haven’t.” Thomas Edison Précis: A different world exists today than it did just a few weeks ago, all driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus seemingly favors the elderly who have a pre-existing disease(s); however,…
• Parkinson’s Awareness Month is a time to look outward, not inward March 30, 2019 Who decides which disease or cause can lay claim to a month as an awareness month? I’m just curious, because we’re about to enter April, which for some reason is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month. It's not that I don't believe that PD deserves an awareness month. My issue is that I feel like a hypocrite. I am so aware of…
• Speech, Voice & Parkinson’s Q&A with John Dean January 28, 2021 We recently hosted a webinar with speech-language pathologist John Dean. You can get access to the recording here. We received so many questions during the session that we weren’t able to answer them all; so, John was kind enough to do some written Q&A for us. “When is a good time to start speech therapy?” It’s much better to maintain…
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• Monthly research review: February 2020 February 29, 2020   At the end of each month the SoPD writes a post which provides an overview of some of the major pieces of Parkinson’s-related research that were made available during February 2020. The post is divided into seven parts based on the type of research: Basic biology Disease mechanism Clinical research New clinical trials Clinical trial news Other news Review…
• Life with Parkinson’s in the Time of COVID-19: April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month April 1, 2020 “The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have.” Vince Lombardi “When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this: you haven’t.” Thomas Edison Précis: A different world exists today than it did just a few weeks ago, all driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus seemingly favors the elderly who have a pre-existing disease(s); however,…
• Milestones in Parkinson’s Disease Research and Discovery April 11, 2017 “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” Marcel Proust “The process of scientific discovery is, in effect, a continual flight from wonder.” Albert Einstein Preface:  Happy birthday to James Parkinson (neurologist, geologist, scientist, activist),  born April 11, 1755 and died December 21, 1824.  World Parkinson’s Day April 11, 2017. Introduction to…