You should never care of what other people do. The question is not how much Brin gave. The question is how much you are willing to pay to get cured. And if the cure comes to late for you ... you can still pay to help find the cure for your childrens and relatives because they can also get the disease and if you got it, they have a higher risk to get it too.

OK guys,

A few weeks ago I contacted a local parkinsons fondation. This foundation was started 2 years ago. There are only 2 people active. They have ties with a local university. I contacted to help them and they invited me today at their place. So I went and they explained me what was their goal and how they achieved to get money for PD research. Thanks to their effort there are currently 7 research projects in the run, with several of them focusing of the role of parkin in PD.

Anyway, I will help them. I will contact a local soccer team in my city ... by coincidence one of the best teams in my country . I will ask if one of their players is willing to sell his shirt online and donate this money to this organisation. Then, I will also try to set up an action in this team. My boss has very good ties with this team, so it should be possible to do this. The organization has to grow. At the moment, we are only 3 people; that is not enough.

A good thing ... if the organization can get an extra 30.000 euro they will be invited by the king and they get some time on TV to convince people to fund money.

Next, I will contact companies and ask for funding. In return they will get publicity during a concert the organization will give in a few months. I will also help during the event. The event is mainly meant for people with PD, so they can all go out, have a great time and be in contact with other people having PD.

I will also put brochures in bakeries, shops, ... everywhere I can, so people can get to know this organization.

Something that I didn't discuss but will do for myself, is contact people on street and ask if they would be interested to join the organization and help us getting money for funding. My goal is to get 1 person active in the organization for each 100 people that I approach.

Yes, let me just echo some other people's sentiments in this thread, especially the one where the idea $50/month for every person with Parkinson's is "affordable." It is not.

We should all give what we can to charitable organizations who we believe in and do good work.

We should not suggest we know other people's financial situations and what's affordable for them.

Best,
DocJohn

DocJohn,

You are right. The people from the organization I went to today, told me the same. They organize concerts at very low prices (10 euro) because PD people can't afford high prices. They also told me 50 $ a month is definitely not affordable for all PD patients.

But still, I think there are patients out there that can afford this but are not donating for PD research. I noticed this thread has warmed some people up to start donating. For the others having difficulties to donate 50 $ a month, even if they can only afford 5 $ month or 1 $ a month ... everything would be welcomed by PD research. I just want to motivate PD patients to do whatever they can to find a cure. Just sitting there and doing nothing is not an option. I hear everyone hoping for the cure ... well, the cure isn't going to magically fall out of the sky. If people want the cure, they will need to take some action. The more people take action, the faster the cure will arrive.

I also think friends and relatives should play a very important role in this. I donated money for MJFF because my father was diagnosed with PD. I will continue donating (100 $ a month) until a cure is found. I don't need to buy expensive medecins so I can donate. And so can majority of the sons and daughters of all PD patients. PD patients could play an active role in this and motivate their beloved ones to fund in PD research.

I joined a foundation in order to help them to raise more money. I will work my *** of to collect money for PD research. Nobody prevents the beloved ones of all PD patients to do something similar. And I am sure they would also move heaven and earth to find a cure. They just need to get motivated a little bit to start of.

You see ... there is always a solution for a posed problem if you really want it. Just saying "PD patients can't afford this, so take your idea and throw it in the garbage bin" is a little bit too easy. I admit I didn't know the whole picture; but, via family of PD patients it is possible to collect enough funding to beat this disease.