Our support group was formed in 2014 to meet the needs of women with Parkinson’s.
Updated from the original web posting: While there is no evidence that Parkinson’s disease presents differently in men than women, it can be harder to feel comfortable expressing many of our concerns in predominantly male support groups. Providing a supportive, all-female environment where women feel free to talk about everything and anything is the main purpose of our group, which began as a cooperative effort by and for the women of the Fair Oaks Parkinson’s support group. It has since flourished and grown, providing support, encouragement, resources, and information for Women with Parkinson’s, as well as fostering trust and friendships along the way.
Our meetings, originally held in Reston, were moved to Zoom in 2020. We’ve since toggled between the two formats, evaluating as we go what works best. Currently our monthly meetings are held via Zoom. The Zoom link is emailed out the day before the meeting.
A few MEETING GUIDELINES we request that everyone follow:
Our meeting time is officially 1:00 to 2:30 pm. You are welcome to sign on 10 to 15 minutes earlier if you wish. If you are having a slow day or running late, we get it. Sign in whenever you can.
We ask that everyone keep their camera on during the meeting so we can see each other, like we would if we were in the same room together.
We also ask that you sign on from a quiet, private area of your home to preserve the group’s confidentiality. Note our meetings are only for women with Parkinson’s and not spouses, partners, children, caregivers, or friends. Providing an environment of privacy and trust has been a core commitment of this group since its inception, as per the original web posting:
“The most important commitment we make to each other is confidentiality. To preserve our meetings as a safe place to discuss topics that we can’t discuss anywhere else, we all agree, What is said in the room, stays in the room. And to respect each other’s privacy, Whoever is in the room, stays in the room as well.”
During our meetings we often share information and resources, including prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements we take. Everything shared is in the spirit of support and helpfulness. Knowledge is power. However, you should never make any changes, medication or other-wise, or begin any new activity or routine, without first consulting your doctor.
Interested in joining us? Contact us!
If you have any questions or want to find out more about the group, feel free to email us at womenwarriorspd (at) gmail.com. Be sure to send us your email address. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can.