The Parkinson's Disease Society Singapore

World Parkinson's Celebration in Singapore

It was a Red Tulip Day on 9 April 2010. The Parkinson’s Disease Society (Singapore) launched a major public awareness programme to celebrate World Parkinson’s Day. About 45 volunteers went out to the seven major hospitals in Singapore to help Singaporeans learn more about Parkinson’s disease (PD) and where to seek help. They set up public education booths on PD, and distributed nearly 2000 Red Tulip collar pins for a small donation.

The public response was enthusiastic, and within 2 hours, some booths ran out of the Red Tulip pins.

“People would stop to talk to us,” commented one volunteer. “They want to know what this is all about.” Another public member expressed delight to know that there was such a Society set up to help people living with PD.

Students at Hwa Chong International School ran a concurrent programme. For three days, they took to every school corner to raise student awareness and support for PD patients. Bannerettes were set up and posters were put in every classroom to share the challenges faced by people living with PD.

On 10 April 2010, a public forum on ‘Towards a better life with Parkinson’s disease’ was organized jointly by the National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore General Hospital, and the Parkinson’s Disease Society (Singapore). Conducted first in English and then in Mandarin, a total of 223 participants turned up for the two sessions. The panel of doctors and healthcare professionals addressed the issues of Deep Brain Stimulation surgery for PD, the roles of medication and coping strategies for PD. Questions were spontaneous and aplenty. Many books on PD were sold at the public forum and everyone went home with a better understanding of PD.