TORONTO, ONTARIO–( EMWNews – April 8, 2008) – Parkinson Society Canada (PSC) is launching a new bilingual advertising campaign to create more awareness of Parkinson’s disease and to provide the Canadian public with an understanding of the daily struggle people with Parkinson’s experience. The campaign which includes television and print, coincides with Parkinson’s Awareness month and was created with the help of one of Canada’s leading creative agencies, TAXI 2. PSC hopes that these new ads will draw attention to just how difficult Parkinson’s can be and to dispel the myth that this lesser known disease is just a minor inconvenience.

According to PSC President and CEO, Joyce Gordon, most people have little understanding of the magnitude of the impact of Parkinson’s on one’s life. “Parkinson’s is a complex and misunderstood disease. We recognize that as a health charity, we need a compelling way to tell our story while letting the public know that Parkinson Society Canada is here to help people with Parkinson’s and their families,” said Joyce Gordon. Simple things like answering the phone, brushing one’s teeth, shaving, and getting up from a chair can present huge challenges that slowly and steadily erode one’s quality of living.

The campaign theme, “What would you do if your body turned against you?” focuses on the struggle of over 100,000 Canadians with Parkinson’s. With an aging population, the number of Canadians with Parkinson’s over the age of 65 is expected to double by 2013.

Targeted at health conscious boomers who may now be dealing with aging parents, the campaign was donated by creative agency TAXI 2. “The campaign uses a dramatic metaphor to demonstrate the inner struggle people with Parkinson’s face every day, just to will their bodies to perform the simplest of tasks,” says Lance Martin, Creative Director of TAXI 2.

The ads will appear in April, Parkinson’s Awareness Month, and continue to be seen over the next three years. More awareness generated by the ads will lead people to learn more by visiting PSC’s website at parkinson.ca. More dollars for research are imperative to find new treatments, new medications, and ultimately a cure. The ads can be seen at http://www.parkinson.ca/en/13.1.media.html and http://www.parkinson.ca/fr/fr13.1.media.html.

Parkinson’s is a degenerative neurological disease. When cells in the brain that normally produce a chemical called “dopamine” die, symptoms of Parkinson’s appear. The most common symptoms are: tremor (shaking), slowness in movements, muscle stiffness and problems with balance. Other symptoms that may also occur for some people include fatigue, difficulties with speech and writing, sleep disorders, depression and cognitive changes.

For over 40 years, Parkinson Society Canada (PSC) has been the national voice of people living with Parkinson’s disease. PSC has over 230 chapters and support groups. PSC’s mission is to fund research, support services, advocacy and education. For more information visit www.parkinson.ca or call 1-800-565-3000.