TORONTO, ONTARIO–(EMWNews – July 21, 2008) – As SuperWalk 2008 quickly approaches, walkers are working hard to raise $2.5 million! Parkinson Society Canada’s (PSC) largest annual fundraiser takes place this September in 80 cities across Canada. With SuperWalk, PSC hopes to increase its support for research into areas such as the role of environmental toxins in Parkinson’s.The goal is to eradicate Parkinson’s altogether and over 100,000 Canadians with Parkinson’s are counting on SuperWalk to get one step closer to a cure.

With monies raised through SuperWalk, PSC funds researchers like Dr. Shawn Hayley at Carleton University in Ottawa. Dr. Hayley is investigating the role of inflammation in the brain in Parkinson’s disease and possible links to commonly used pesticides like Paraquat.

“In the future, this kind of research can lead to the identification of biomarkers which may lead to blood tests that can tell who might be susceptible to Parkinson’s disease,” says Dr. Hayley.

PSC has supported 210 researchers, over 300 research projects and has invested nearly $16 million into Canadian Parkinson’s disease research. In the last five years alone, PSC has invested over $5.4 million dollars, in an effort to find a cure for Parkinson’s.

“PSC’s National Research program is the cornerstone of the organization. Without events like SuperWalk, we could not fund the ground-breaking work performed by Dr. Hayley,” says Joyce Gordon, PSC President & CEO.

To register or to find out more, visit www.superwalk.com or call 1-800-565-3000.

With a goal of $2.5 million, SuperWalk is the largest national fundraising event for Parkinson Society Canada. This year’s total will bring the total dollars raised over a five year period to more than $10 million for research, education, advocacy and support for people living with Parkinson’s.

Parkinson’s is a progressive 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: tremors or shaking, slowness in movements, muscle stiffness and problems with balance. Other symptoms may also occur for some people, such as 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 230 chapters and support groups.