The World Parkinson Coalition (WPC) has announced the recipients of its 2026 global awards ahead of the 7th World Parkinson Congress in Phoenix, Arizona. WPC told Charity Journal that it will use the congress to push broader international collaboration to reduce major gaps in Parkinson’s care access worldwide.
World Parkinson Coalition highlights leaders shaping Parkinson’s care
The awards recognize advocates, clinicians, researchers, and community leaders whose work has advanced Parkinson’s education, research, patient support, and public advocacy.
The World Parkinson Coalition, a nonprofit organization focused on global Parkinson’s collaboration and education, created the awards program in 2016 to spotlight multidisciplinary efforts improving quality of life for people living with Parkinson’s disease.
This year’s Robin A. Elliott Award for Outstanding Community Service recipients include Davis Phinney, Dr. Claudia Martinez, Rabbi Moshe Grushkin, and Bernard and Denise Coley. The Distinguished Collaborative Research Award recipients include Dr. M. Maral Mouradian, Dr. Kevin McFarthing, Clyde Campbell, Dr. Jane Alty, and Dr. Michele Callisaya.
“As we gather for the 7th World Parkinson Congress, we are honored to recognize this exceptional group of individuals whose work continues to move the field forward,” said Elizabeth Pollard, Executive Director of the World Parkinson Coalition.
Meanwhile, the awards arrive as Parkinson’s disease continues to expand globally. More than 11 million people currently live with the neurological condition worldwide, while roughly 90,000 new cases emerge annually in the United States alone.
Global coalition pushes policy-focused Parkinson’s care expansion
WP told Charity Journal that the Coalition increasingly focuses on policy collaboration and international coordination to address severe shortages in Parkinson’s care infrastructure.
“The World Parkinson Coalition believes that one of the most powerful ways to reduce barriers to specialized Parkinson’s care is through the sharing of knowledge, lived experience, and community-driven advocacy models across borders and disciplines alongside policy work,” said an organization’s spokesperson.
The organization currently works with more than 75 international groups to improve access to medications, education resources, and healthcare support systems for Parkinson’s patients and clinicians.
Furthermore, the coalition plans to use its Leadership Forum at WPC 2026 to explore launching a broader international alliance focused on improving Parkinson’s care standards through policy coordination and healthcare reform.
The urgency behind those efforts remains significant. The WPC disclosed that more than 29 African countries still lack access to levodopa, one of the oldest and most affordable Parkinson’s medications. Even in the United States, only about 10% of Parkinson’s patients reportedly see movement disorder specialists.
The issue reflects broader global health inequities where specialized neurological care remains concentrated in wealthier urban healthcare systems while rural and lower-income communities face persistent access barriers.
WPC 2026 expands focus on education and global collaboration
The World Parkinson Congress will bring together researchers, clinicians, advocacy groups, caregivers, and people living with Parkinson’s disease to share research findings, clinical strategies, and patient-centered care models.
The WPC added that the coalition intends to expand access to educational resources and collaborative frameworks beyond the congress itself, particularly for underserved communities lacking specialist infrastructure.
The organization is also working alongside the World Health Organization’s Brain Health Unit and international coalition partners on longer-term initiatives to improve Parkinson’s readiness across healthcare systems and everyday community life.
“Through collaboration with the WHO Brain Unit and our international coalition, we are preparing to tackle some big challenges over the next three years to really impact the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s,” WPC said.
WPC 2026 will take place May 24–27 in Phoenix and is expected to attract thousands of delegates from across the global Parkinson’s community.