The post PAN Advocate Spotlight: Alejandra Borunda appeared first on Parkinson's Action Network.
We’re proud to work beside so many dedicated Grassroots Advocates around the country, and as we get closer to the 2016 PAN Forum (February 29 – March 2, 2016) we want to highlight a few of these leaders and help share their stories. Read on to learn more about their vital work with PAN and what makes the Forum such an important event for the Parkinson’s community.
Alejandra Borunda: PAN Grassroots Advocate, Arizona
Since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s one year ago, Alejandra Borunda has made it her mission to become involved in the Parkinson’s community to raise awareness and help others affected by PD have a better quality of life.
“I belong to that 10-15% of cases where PD is hereditary, as I am the 9th person in my family with PD (all from the paternal side of the family). Because PD has affected my family so much, I have made it my mission to become involved in the PD community. I do not want to just fight the disease in my own life – I want to make a difference in others’ too. It is my goal and mission to help all those affected by Parkinson’s as I would have loved if my family members had help with information and motivation!” she writes.
Alejandra now volunteers in many capacities and participates in Parkinson’s events across the country. “I attended the first Parkinson’s Disease Foundation Women & PD Initiative conference and met wonderful motivating women all with the same fight! I am a volunteer at the Muhammad Ali Parkinson’s Center and love to learn and help as much as I can. I have created a Facebook group bringing Spanish speaking people with Parkinson’s together to share and help each other. I am also the co-captain of the walk by Parkinson Network of Arizona here in Tempe, AZ in February.”
If you are in Arizona, you may meet Alejandra at the free Partners in Parkinson’s event on January 30th in Scottsdale, where she will be talking with attendees about getting involved with Parkinson’s Action Network.
In February, Alejandra and hundreds of other amazing PAN Grassroots Advocates will attend the PAN Forum in Washington, DC, where they will learn about the latest developments in Parkinson’s research and talk with their congressional representatives about ways they can support the fight against Parkinson’s.
The PAN Scholarship Fund supports people who have important stories to tell and lets them tell their story, at no cost, to their elected representatives. You can help advocates like Alejandra participate in the Forum by making a donation to the PAN Scholarship Fund today.
