Fall Parkinson's Awareness Conference
Level 1 Sponsors: Abbvie, Boston Scientific, Seed for Success Foundation ; Level 2 Sponsors: Acadia Pharmaceuticals, Monument Health ; Level 3 Sponsors: National Parkinson's Foundation, Sanford Health
THE 2026 CONFERENCE HAS CONCLUDED. YOU CAN WATCH THE CONFERENCE THROUGH OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL BY CLICKING THE VIDEOS BELOW. YOU CAN VIEW/PRINT AVAILABLE PRESENTATION SLIDES BY CLICKING THE PRESENTATION TITLE.
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SAVE THE DATE 2027:
Friday, October 1, 2027 ​​​​
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Best Western Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center
2111 N Lacrosse Street
Rapid City, SD 57701
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Join us for a day of learning and community at our Annual Fall Parkinson's Awareness Conference. Whether you are attending as someone with Parkinson's disease or as a caregiver for someone with Parkinson's, our goal is that you leave feeling rejuvenated and with hope in your days that follow.
This FREE event includes speakers, exhibitors, food, and support in your journey with Parkinson's. See the conference schedule below for details. There's a seat at our table for you and we hope to see you there! ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
2026 CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
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A Different Approach to Treating Parkinson's
Jessica A. Karl, PhD, PA-C
Northwestern-Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Division
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Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease​​​​​
Dr. Robert Ziechmann, MD
Monument Health
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Panel Discussion: Personal Experiences & Other Treatment Options
Peter Andreone, Quint & Karston Messerly, Dr. Jennifer Kruger
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Zooming In, To Zoom Out: Gut Health, Parkinson's & the Whole-Person Perspective
Dr. Karin Duncan, NMD
Integrative Neurology Wellness Center
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Power the Positive: From “Oh Crap!” to Strength after a Parkinson's Diagnosis​
Keynote Speaker: Sara Whittingham, MD
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Movement Matters
Laura Bonsness, PT & Founder/President of About You; Katie Steever, PT; Tracy Ponto, RSB Instructor
About You Physical Therapy & Rock Steady Boxing
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Meet Our Keynote Speaker!
Sara Whittingham, MD, is a retired anesthesiologist, U.S. Air Force veteran, Parkinson’s advocate, and author of Oh Crap, It’s Parkinson’s! Diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease in 2020 at age 46, she went on to compete in the IRONMAN World Championship and U.S. Paralympic Team trials. Through her writing and advocacy, Sara encourages people with Parkinson’s to embrace a positive mindset, set outrageous goals, and discover their own path to living well with PD. Her story has been featured by CBS News, TODAY, USA Today, and Women’s Health.
We still have books available! We are starting a book club and will be reading this book. Meetings are 1x/month with the first meeting Nov 2 from 6p-7p Central.
Sara Whittingham, MD
2019 SF Conference
2018 SF Conference
