16 Fox Focus | Policy
The Power of “ You ” in Parkinson ’ s Public Policy
PHOTO BY JOE SHYMANSKI
You are key to shaping the future of Parkinson ’ s disease research funding .
As people living with Parkinson ’ s know , you are — and often must be — your own best advocate for your care . No one knows the disease better than those who live with it every day . And that advocacy extends beyond the doctor ’ s office . We , as a community , need to advocate with lawmakers to help them see how their decisions and actions have a reverberating impact on millions of Parkinson ’ s patients , families and care partners .
In our evolving digital world , and especially now during COVID-19 , anyone can be an advocate with just a few clicks , a phone call or a cast ballot . And we have power in numbers . The Michael J . Fox Foundation , alongside a nationwide network of grassroots advocates , is actively working to ensure government policies accelerate the development of Parkinson ’ s disease therapies and increase quality of life for the Parkinson ’ s community . By raising our voices together , we can influence public policy .
“ The ability for us to actually educate Members of Congress is so important ,” said Israel Robledo , a member of The Michael J . Fox Foundation Patient Council and long-time policy advocate . “ Being diagnosed with Parkinson ’ s and knowing that my voice could be used to help improve the quality of life of people with Parkinson ’ s through public policy has been important .”
With just a few steps , you can unlock many possibilities to affect real change in Washington D . C . Start your journey to becoming a public policy advocate today .