Fundraising Event Yields $4,000 for Parkinson's Patients' Pump Needs
The Bailey Centre Liberty Service Station, in collaboration with PK Express Transport and CHESS Connect, successfully raised $4,000 for the Parkinson's Coffs Harbour Nurses Fund during this year's Pump for Parkinson's fundraiser.
For several years, the Bailey Centre Liberty Service Station has pledged to contribute 10 cents from every liter of fuel sold towards the Fund. This year marks the first time CHESS Connect, a not-for-profit human service organization, joined the initiative by donating an additional $300. PK Express Transport also added $300 to the total by contributing 5 cents per liter of fuel sold.
The funds raised will support the services of a Parkinson's Specialist Nurse based in the Mid North Coast Local Health District in Coffs Harbour. This nursing position is co-funded by the Local Health District and Parkinson's NSW.
Several factors influence the effectiveness of Parkinson's drugs, particularly levodopa, the most common treatment. Dietary protein and iron-rich foods can interfere with absorption and transport across the blood-brain barrier. Constipation and delayed gastric emptying, common in Parkinson's patients, further slow levodopa absorption. Following a Mediterranean diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, olive oil, and whole grains, may lower the risk of Parkinson's disease but has an indirect effect on medication absorption.
Alcohol consumption and gastrointestinal barriers caused by Parkinson's disease can also impact medication absorption. Strategies to optimize therapeutic outcomes include spreading protein intake throughout the day, taking levodopa 30 to 60 minutes before meals, and considering medication formulations with carbidopa, which inhibits peripheral metabolism and enhances levodopa bioavailability.
The Pump for Parkinson's fundraiser is an annual initiative of the Coffs Harbour Parkinson's Support Groups and the Bailey Centre Liberty Service Station. The fundraiser's goal is to maintain the essential role of the Parkinson's Specialist Nurse in providing care for those affected by Parkinson's disease in the local area.
- To support the ongoing care of individuals with Parkinson's disease in the Coffs Harbour area, the Pump for Parkinson's fundraiser, a joint initiative by the Coffs Harbour Parkinson's Support Groups and the Bailey Centre Liberty Service Station, managed to raise $4,000 this year with the help of PK Express Transport and CHESS Connect.
- In the quest for effective treatments in the realm of health-and-wellness, research in science finds that factors such as diet, fitness-and-exercise, and mental-health play a crucial role. For instance, adhering to a Mediterranean diet, rich in nutritious foods, may lower the risk of Parkinson's disease; however, it can indirectly affect medication absorption.
- Workplace-wellness initiatives can be instrumental in improving the quality of life for those struggling with health challenges like Parkinson's disease. Strategies such as spreading protein intake throughout the day, taking medication 30 to 60 minutes before meals, and considering medication formulations with carbidopa can help optimize therapeutic outcomes, thereby ensuring better health-and-wellness and mental-health for patients suffering from this disease.
