Larry Gifford to share on his Parkinson’s journey at the 3rd Annual WPP Gala

MARKHAM, ON – April 11, 2019 – The World Parkinson’s Program (WPP) is excited to announce the addition of Larry Gifford and Lloyd Robertson to our Gala line-up on May 3rd. Gifford and Robertson immediately connected with the humanitarian and research efforts of the WPP and enthusiastically offered to support our gala.

Gifford, an award-winning radio reporter and manager, was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease in August 2017. In September 2018, he launched the podcast “When Life Gives You Parkinson’s” which details his journey with the disease as a guy in his mid-40’s with a family and a career.

The show, distributed by Curiouscast and supported by his employer Corus Entertainment, was named among the Best of 2018 by Apple Podcasts. Gifford also serves as a member of the Michael J. Fox Foundation Patient Council, is a board member of the Pacific Parkinson’s Research Institute and has teamed with the World Parkinson Congress in Kyoto this year to showcase the triennial conference on his podcast.

Lloyd Robertson will be joining Gifford at our event and needs no introduction, as a celebrated local citizen and national media treasure. Robertson, our country’s most trusted news anchor, was called to the Order of Canada in 1998 and is the first journalist to be inducted into the Walk of Fame.

He will be sharing on his own loss of two close friends to Parkinson’s Disease, whose family members will be joining him at the event.

WPP is holding their 3rd annual gala in support of WPP’s global and local initiatives in providing life-altering medication and treatment to people living with PD. John Baumann, a U.S. attorney and motivational speaker, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2002, will be returning as keynote speaker.

Whether speaking to a crowd of 15 or 1500, the renowned author of several books including CSI – Courageous Stories of Inspiration – is changing lives every day.

Jeremy McLellan, the “New Face of Comedy” at Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal in 2017, will also be on hand to lighten the mood. His comedic talents, performed as part of his social justice work are, are selling out tours in the U.S., U.K. and South Asia.

WPP hopes to build on the success of last year’s fundraiser, which was attended by 500 people including local community leaders, dignitaries and politicians, and raising $50,000. The 2018 event also featured guest speaker Rashida Ali, daughter of the late, great Muhammad Ali, a global champion of Parkinson’s disease.

“Those who fight Parkinson’s with knowledge always find solutions,”

– Dr A.Q. Rana, Canadian Neurologist and WPP Founder

Each year, millions of Parkinson’s patients around the world are unable to access medication and educational literature and other resources to help improve their symptoms. WPP has been providing free medication, walking aids, canes, and educational literature in more than 20 different languages at home and abroad.

The lives of thousands of Parkinson patients have been impacted worldwide through the support provided by WPP, since 2008.

What sets the WPP apart from other Parkinson’s charities is that their focus on discovering a cause and cure is paired with providing humanitarian aid. WPP provides the most essential medications to the neediest Parkinson’s patients affected by poverty around the globe, irrespective of where they live.

Media planning to attend are asked to RSVP to Soraya.Mangal@pdprogram.org