Spring / Summer 2025 | Policy 19
Urging Scaled Government Investment in Research and Care
Demonstrating how Parkinson’ s disease affects patients and families— as well as its strain on public health systems and budgets— can help policymakers see why their scaled investment in prevention and cures is so necessary.
With more resources, federal research and patient care programs can more deeply investigate military service-related risks, expand care for veterans with Parkinson’ s, determine accurate nationwide prevalence and incidence rates, and more.
The federal government isn’ t the only source of support for Parkinson’ s research programs. On the state front, MJFF is making huge leaps in advocacy for local funding. In 2024, we participated in a successful bipartisan campaign in Pennsylvania resulting in the first-ever $ 3 million state investment for neurodegenerative disease research. We returned to the state this year, where Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has included another $ 5 million for in-state research grants in his budget proposal. We’ re now replicating this effort to pursue multi-milliondollar investments in more states, including California, Connecticut, Florida and Texas.
Advancing public policy is an essential piece of solving the Parkinson’ s puzzle, and grassroots advocacy is how we make it happen. Join us at michaeljfox. org / advocacy.
In His Own Words:
Meet Parkinson’ s Policy Advocate Gentry Dodd, MD
“ Core to my identity is being a proud husband, father and physician. I was trained in physical medicine and rehabilitation, and I’ ve worked in occupational medicine since 2014. On the day before my 40th birthday, I was diagnosed with PD. Now, I’ m a husband, father and physician with Parkinson’ s. This disease is a part of my identity.
Gentry Dodd, MD, is a board-certified physician specializing in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Lifestyle Medicine. Gentry was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’ s disease at age 40. He lives in Indianapolis, Indiana, with his wife Sarah and their two sons.
I took care of patients with PD 10 years before my own diagnosis. I thought I’ d find that there had been significant advances in treatments since then. What I found was frustration. But I also found hope— and that’ s why I advocate.
Last year, I had the opportunity to meet with members of Congress to ask for their support of the National Plan to End Parkinson’ s Act, which is now federal law. Sharing your story, like I have, helps our elected officials understand how their choices affect us and what they can do to get us closer to a world without Parkinson’ s disease.”