I wanted to let you know about an important event I am participating in on September 12, 2020 - I have been taking part in the Parkinson SuperWalk for > 20 years now largely in support of my Mother (Chiyoko Nagamatsu) who battled Parkinson's until she passed away in 2006.  In 2014, my Mother's brother, Uncle Shu passed away also after battling Parkinson's and a dear friend Karen also passed away - Karen was a dedicated fundraiser for this cause given her sister's and father's battles with Parkinson's.

In this context and as both a member of the Finance & Audit Committee and Advisory Council member for Parkinson Canada, I am taking the pledge to become an everyday hero and raise funds in support of Canadians living with Parkinson's disease by walking for more than 100,000 Canadians with Parkinson's, as well as their care partners and family members.

I have set a fundraising goal of $5,000 again since I was able to return to the $5k level in 2019 ($5,025) following strong fundraising levels in 2018 ($5,015) and 2017 ($4,475) – all this considering the unprecedented times we are experiencing under COVID-19.  Unfortunately, Parkinson’s can be an isolating condition, and social distancing has brought this to the forefront for a lot of people.  Now more than ever, Parkinson Canada needs our support and events like SuperWalk are a major source of revenue for this charity.  Whilst I do recognize that we are all dealing with new realities including financial constraints for many, any donation that you can make assists ongoing support initiatives to Canadians living with Parkinsons’s.

Thanks in advance for your consideration and support and please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.