About Us

Parkinson's

Is Growing Faster

than other neurological diseases

Our Mission

We educate people with Parkinson’s in Iowa (and throughout the world) on the power of exercise in managing symptoms to have a better quality of life and help them find access to Parkinson’s information, resources, tools, and events that will enrich their lives.

Who We Are & What We Do

Parkinson’s disease is rapidly growing. Beginning in a person’s forties, the risk of Parkinson’s triples with each passing decade (Strickland et al.). In 2019, 1,000 Americans per week were diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Numbers are rising as they are doubling again, going from 6.3 million worldwide in 2015 to a forecasted 12.9 in 2040. The Midwest and East Coast have the highest per capita of people with Parkinson’s.

Exercise has the potential to significantly alter the life of a person with Parkinson's. Decades of scientific research have shown that exercise is the one hope to slow the disease progression and help manage and reduce symptoms. At Parkinson's Place Iowa, we are dedicated to this cause. Our focus is not just on advocating for exercise but also on providing a necessary resource to help those with Parkinson's Disease understand how they need to exercise to achieve results.

With our President, Kristine Meldrum's release of the award-winning Parkinson's book, Parkinson's: How to Reduce Symptoms Through Exercise, we have made a tangible difference for people with Parkinson's in Iowa and worldwide. In 2024, Parkinson's Place Iowa's education efforts (with the help of generous donations), we sent out books to 50 PD support groups throughout Iowa. Top neurologists worldwide recommend Parkinson's: How to Reduce Symptoms Through Exercise to people with PD. Our next initiative is to give books to neurologist's offices in Iowa to give to PD patients, taking the next step to help more people have access to this vital resource.