This was the second year that Parkinson’s NSW promoted the Parkinson’s Community Heroes program to both commemorate Parkinson’s Awareness Month and provide opportunities for Support Groups to recognise their local supporters – while also raising their Groups’ profiles within their communities.
The Heroes program was not designed to recognise Support Group participants, but local community heroes who had assisted them.
The 12 Support Groups which took advantage of this opportunity to generate publicity in their communities were:
• Ashfield
• Blacktown
• Chinatown Bilingual
• Coffs Harbour
• Kiama
• Lismore
• Macarthur
• Narrabri
• Nepean/Blue Mountains
• Port Macquarie
• Southern Highlands
• Tweed Heads
“Nominations varied widely – including a boxing and exercise trainers, politicians, Allied Health practitioners, supportive community organisations, and active fundraisers,” said Support Group Coordinator Cassie Morgan.
“It was heartening to see Groups taking advantage of this new opportunity to acknowledge their local supporters while driving publicity and hopefully also attracting new participants.
“These Groups also conducted community outreach campaigns with information stands, raffles, picnics and contacts with local media,” she said.
