We visited the Police Museum to learn more about the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Today, we’re breaking out from the Police Museum in the heart of Los Angeles to tell you about the Parkinson’s Foundation and its special event. Here in the center of LA, they honored their grantees who make a difference in our community.
We spoke with Laurie Enguillen and Megan Gomez, who told us about how they became involved with Parkinson’s. Laurie served as a police officer for 30 years, starting when Megan was just two years old. Laurie’s dad took care of Megan during that time, and he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease at 67 years old. It is Laurie’s honor and passion to bring the Police Museum together with organizations like the Parkinson’s Foundation because of the amazing work they do in helping people with the disease. From early diagnosis and throughout their journey, the Parkinson’s Foundation does so much for people struggling with the disease that it led Megan to become a doctor.
Parkinson’s is near and dear to the family’s hearts. People often come to Laurie for inspiration or a pep talk when they’re feeling down or hopeless. She helps them work hard and not give up.
“The Parkinson’s Foundation does so much for people struggling with the disease.”
We also spoke to Alexis Rodriguez, regional director of the Parkinson’s Foundation, who told us about one of their first community events in LA and a major opportunity to educate the public about their other upcoming events. She told us that the goal of the Parkinson’s Foundation is to make life better for people living with the disease while helping to advance research at the same time. The organization grants about $2 million to various community partners across the country, including roughly 30 organizations in the West Region alone. At the event, they honored four of those recipients.
To learn more about the Parkinson’s Foundation and the work they do, go to its website at www.parkinsons.org and check out all of its resources. This includes information on upcoming events, education, and even a helpline. You can also call or email us anytime, we’d love to hear from you.