Anita Blazino

Anita Blazino is an executive for the Thunder Bay chapter of the Parkinson's Society Canada. She's also a member of a Parkinson's Disease support group, organized by the local group each month to provide a place of sharing and information to patients of Parkinson's, support workers and family members.

"We haven't had very many volunteers," Blazino said when talking about how community members in Thunder Bay can help out.

A Parkinson's Society volunteer wouldn't have to give up much time of their week or even month, Blazino said, in helping out people with Parkinson's Disease.

"Even just visiting somebody in specialized care, just talking to them, so at least they have visitors" Blazino said.
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Blazino is now busy getting this month's "Banquet of Hope" organized.The date is Apr. 23 at the Italian Cultural Centre.The event has pulled in $5,000 in the past and is hoped to be as successful this year.The money goes to research.Getting volunteers to help out with the raffle, decorating, or even to drive people who have Parkinson's Disease to the banquet would be a big help, Blazino said.

The organization also organizes a walk in September and has a tulip sales campaign to raise money.All these are events a volunteer could help out with, Blazino said, as well as driving support group members to meetings."It wouldn't be much time, just a couple of hours," Blazino said about what would be required of a volunteer."It's just the little things that really help."Blazino has been helping organize the banquet for eight years.Although stats say Parkinson's Disease effects mostly those who are 60 or over, Blazino said that during her time with the disease, she has encountered people as young as 30 who have Parkinson's Disease.

"It can affect anybody, I think," she said.

Although there are currently about 40 people who attend the support meetings held the last Wednesday of each month at the 55 Plus Centre at 1p.m., Blazino said she is sure there are more who would benefit from attending if they knew about it.These are people the organization is striving to reach out and help.

"I'm sure there are a lot more who just don't know where to get the support in town," Blazino said.