Affecting more than a million Americans and over 10 million worldwide, Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s and is the 14th-leading cause of death in the United States. The major signs of PD include progressive motor problems with slowness of movements, shaking or tremor, rigidity or stiffness, reduced facial expression and changes in gait/balance. Patients with PD also experience non-motor symptoms (e.g., sleep disturbances, depression and anxiety, low blood pressure and cognitive problems, among others). The treatment of PD is remarkably better than it was just 15 years ago. Novel drugs and new formulations of old drugs provide patients with a much better response to treatment. The incidence of PD is rapidly increasing around the world. It is estimated that 90,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the United States alone.
Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson’s in partnership with the Parkinson’s Disease Treatment Center of SWFL proudly presents our 2026 Spring Symposium. It will be held on Friday, June 5th, 2026. Admission is FREE, but registration is strongly recommended, as seating is limited. Those attending the program will enjoy three interesting and educational presentations.
Mabel Lopez, PhD will open the program with a lecture on “A Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body – Tips for the PD Patient and Care Partner.” This presentation will provide the audience with the most useful information regarding the benefits of good nutrition and physical exercise. The treatment of PD would be incomplete without a regimen of exercise and healthy lifestyle. You will see the evidence of this in Dr. Lopez’s presentation.
Ramon Gil, M.D., will be lecturing on “New Answers to Old Questions in Parkinson’s Disease. With the advances in the understanding of PD as well as with the increased number of medications and other treatments
honored to bring Dr. Tipton back to our program. He was part of the Faculty in one of our previous Symposiums a few years ago. Within the field of movement disorders, he has special interests in gait and balance disorders and will bring most useful information for patients to improve these challenging and at times disabling problems.
Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson’s is excited to partner with the Parkinson’s Disease Treatment Center of SWFL and Dr. Gil with this first of many Charlotte County based symposiums.
Neuro Challenge is a 501(c)3) nonprofit organization created in 2008 to improve the quality of life of people with Parkinson’s disease and their caregivers today. Neuro Challenge provides individualized care advising, community resource referrals and education, therapeutic and support programs both online and in Southwest Florida including Sarasota, Manatee, Pinellas, Highlands, Marion and Charlotte counties. Neuro Challenge hosts The Parkinson’s Expo, the largest single day free PD event in the U.S., held annually in Manatee County, FL.
All Neuro Challenge services and programs are offered at no cost to people with Parkinson’s disease and their loved ones. Visit NeuroChallenge.org or call 941-926-6413 to learn more.
Parkinson’s Disease Treatment Center of SWFL & Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson’s present 2026 SWFL Parkinson’s Disease Spring Symposium
Friday, June 5, 2026, 8:30AM – 2:30 PM
Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center
75 Taylor St., Punta Gorda, FL 33950
Agenda/Speakers
8:30 AM: On site Registration/Light Breakfast Visit with Vendors & Sponsors
9:00 – 9:15 AM: Welcome/Remarks / New Partners
Dr. Gil & Jennifer Bitner, CEO, Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson’s
9:15 – 10:00AM: “A Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body – Tips for the PD Patient and Care Partner”
Speaker: Mabel Lopez, PhD
10:00 AM: BREAK
10:15 – 11:00 AM: “New Answers to Old Questions in Parkinson’s Disease” Speaker: Ramon A. Gil, M.D.
11:00 AM: LUNCH
Visit with Vendors & Sponsors
12 00 – 12:45 PM: Speaker provided by Amneal
Pharmaceuticals
1:00 – 1:45 PM: “Tackling Walking and Balance
Challenges in PD”.
Speaker: Philip Tipton, M.D. Associate Professor of Neurology Movement Disorders Department
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
1:45 PM: Q&A. Faculty
2:15 – 2:30 PM: Recognition and Prize Drawing
2:30 PM: Adjourn
Visit with Vendors/Sponsors
Parkinson’s Disease Treatment Center
4235 Kings Hwy. Suite 102,
Port Charlotte, FL 33980