About us

Parkinson Estrie has given itself a vision…

to be the regional resource recognized and favored by people living with Parkinson's disease, by their caregivers, by organizations and by the health and social services network.

Supported by a committed board of directors, we are a community organization offering regional service to the 9 RCMs in Estrie.

L’équipe
About us

Our main objective :

Offer services to people diagnosed as well as to caregivers, by being welcoming, caring, warm, open and also accessible in order to contribute to their physical and psychological well-being.

It is important for us to always be on the lookout for winning practices in order to ensure that we offer quality services. Hence the importance for Parkinson Estrie of collaborating with academic circles for both practice and research.

Our mission :

Support people living with Parkinson’s disease and their loved ones in order to prevent isolation, lessen the negative effects of Parkinson’s and thus see to their well-being.

To succeed :

  • We offer adapted and safe activities provided by professionals throughout the Estrie region, completely free of charge;

  • We offer a free sponsorship program;

  • We promote the exchange of useful information;

  • We create free information tools to demystify Parkinson’s disease;

  • We hold fundraising activities allowing us to offer tools and activities to people with the disease and their loved ones;

  • We offer personalized and professional psychological support services to diagnosed people and caregivers (individual or group);

  • We support research.

Consult our strategic plan (french)

In order to allow us to deliver our mission, we need your help. In fact, we collect donations and other monetary contributions to enable us to provide the help that people living with the disease and their caregivers so desperately need.

Donate

Find out more about what we do… every day.

I live with Parkinson's

We help people who have already been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease by offering them the services necessary for their well-being.

Our services

I am a caregiver

We support their caregivers by offering them relevant tools and information.

Our services

Our values :

Respect

Of oneself, of others, of the environment, of the organization. Open to new ideas, to the difference and this, without prejudice. At the base of relationships.

Equity

Ability to adjust to individual needs, according to their characteristics and skills. Refers to the ability to be fair.

Benevolence

Attitude at the heart of our actions. Ability to be caring, empathetic, attentive, devoted to others. Accompany others on their journey to promote well-being. Benevolence creates a healthy atmosphere that allows the development of the person.

Mutual aid

Be supportive of each other. Benefit from each other's know-how, develop unique connections and strengthen team spirit.

Excellence

Stand out by getting involved in a continuous quality process. Be on the lookout for new research and winning practices. Allows for questioning and progress.

Did you know that…

It is estimated that 25,000 people in Quebec have Parkinson's disease and 100,000 in Canada.

Source : Parkinson Québec

Our history

We've been making a difference… for more than 30 years!

For more than 30 years now, the entire Parkinson Estrie team has been there to ensure that they offer quality services that make a difference in their lives. We will continue our journey for as long as people living with Parkinson's disease and their caregivers need help and support to ensure their quality of life and well-being.

Here are some highlights of our history that began in 1991 :

  • To support people living with Parkinson’s disease in Estrie, Parkinson Estrie was founded.
  • First edition of the journal “Défi Parkinson”.
  • Parkinson Estrie extends its services to Magog.
  • First regional fundraiser bearing the name “Grande Randonnée Parkinson”. Presented in September, the activity is a walk in Sherbrooke.
  • First meeting of the Parkinson’s choir;
  • Received a second grant from APPUI to continue the Réseau Entraide Parkinson (REP) program for caregivers;
  • The provincial convention “Vivre l’Espoir” is being held in Sherbrooke from May 3 to 5, 2017 at the Delta Hotel;
  • The major fall fundraising campaign changes its name and becomes the “Défi Parkinson Estrie”.
  • First meeting of the Parkinson’s choir;
  • Received a second grant from APPUI to continue the Réseau Entraide Parkinson (REP) program for caregivers;
  • The provincial convention “Vivre l’Espoir” is being held in Sherbrooke from May 3 to 5, 2017 at the Delta Hotel;
  • Inauguration of the Rock Steady Boxing program in Sherbrooke under the supervision of Ms. Andréanne Tanguay;
  • The major fall fundraising campaign changes its name and becomes the “Défi Parkinson Estrie”.
  • First meeting of the Parkinson’s choir;
  • Received a second grant from APPUI to continue the Réseau Entraide Parkinson (REP) program for caregivers;
  • The provincial convention “Vivre l’Espoir” is being held in Sherbrooke from May 3 to 5, 2017 at the Delta Hotel;
  • The major fall fundraising campaign changes its name and becomes the “Défi Parkinson Estrie”.
  • Ms. Élyse L’Espérance has been named ambassador for Parkinson Estrie;
  • Investment in research: Parkinson Estrie made two donations totaling $10,000 to Dr. Francesca Cicchetti (full professor for the research program of the Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences at the Faculty of Medicine of Laval University);
  • A group of 40 people visits the Research Center of the CHU de Québec;
  • Overhaul of the General Regulations;
  • Collaboration with students from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Sherbrooke as part of their course in Project Leadership in Medicine or Learning through Services in the Community.
  • Despite the 2020 and 2021 pandemic, Parkinson Estrie has kept in touch with our members by phone calls and activities via zoom: conferences, caregiver meetings, writing workshop, communication via our Le Défi-Parkinson newspaper, etc. are some examples of actions put forward;
  • Collaboration with students from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Sherbrooke as part of their course in Project Leadership in Medicine or Learning through Services in the Community.
  • Parkinson Estrie is recognized by the Estrie Ministry of Health and Social Services as part of the Support Program for Community Organizations (PSOC). This very first recurring funding allowed the directors to put in place an organizational structure essential to the proper functioning of the growing organization. Ms. Charlène Brulard becomes the first general manager and is accompanied by a small team of paid and mobilized employees who ensure Parkinson Estrie has a more solid foundation to pursue its development;
  • Parkinson Estrie is entrusted by Parkinson Québec with the regional office of Parkinson Granby. The RCMs of Haute-Yamaska ​​and La Pommeraie therefore become the responsibility of Parkinson Estrie;
  • Implementation of a strategic plan and an annual action plan;
  • Parkinson Estrie extends its services to Lac-Mégantic;
  • Launch of 4 new services: walking club, individual psychosocial support, meetings for recent diagnosis and adapted boxing program in Lac-Mégantic « À nous deux, Parkinson! » and return of the support group for caregivers.
  • An artist donates 48 sculptures to Parkinson Estrie;
  • New visual and improved content of the quarterly newsletter, the Défi Parkinson;
  • Major donation by a winner from Estrie to the new Loto-Québec game, the Loto-o-suivant charity lottery. An amount of $10,000 for a winner and $10,000 for an organization (winner’s choice);
  • Establishment of an activity calendar;
  • Parkinson Estrie provides financial support to Rock Steady Boxing to renovate the boxing club’s floor;
  • Parkinson Estrie and its members actively participate in the study on biomarkers conducted in collaboration by Dr. Isabelle-Beaulieu-Boire from CHUS and Dr. Francesca Cicchetti from Université Laval;
  • Major donations of 47 sculptures by an artist from Sherbrooke. The latter are all evaluated by a qualified professional in the field. An exhibition of all of these works will be produced and all profits will be used to improve and develop the service offer;
  • Collaboration with students from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Sherbrooke as part of their course in Project Leadership in Medicine or Learning through Services in the Community. Project developed: Discovery Kits.
  • Launch of discovery kits;
  • Overhaul of the Parkinson Estrie website.

NEWS

  • Launch of the TANDEM a pair up program and the Parkinson Estrie program, connected and at your side
  • Broadcast of online conferences
  • Online yoga
  • The team is growing, it is moving to a new work space, still located at the Carrefour des ainés

SERVICES IN GRANBY

The service offering extends to Granby:

  • Support group for caregivers
  • Adapted boxing classes
  • Individual psychosocial meetings for caregivers and people living with Parkinson’s disease

SERVICES IN SHERBROOKE

  • Recovery of the vocal heart Good thing we have one another! 
  • Adapted dance

SERVICES IN LAC-MEGANTIC

The service offering extends to  Lac-Mégantic:

  • Support group for caregivers
  • Individual psychosocial meetings for caregivers and affected people.

IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR PRACTICES

  • Use of Zeffy, a new online donation platform with no management fees.
  • Implementation of policies: policy against psychological harassment, teleworking policy and a human resources management policy, improvement of working conditions to promote staff retention.