Eighth annual event supports programs to help people live better with Parkinson’s disease
Portland, Ore. (May 20, 2019) – More than 250 people came together to support the Brian Grant Foundation's Shake It Till We Make It gala at Castaway Portland on Friday, May 17, 2019. The event raised more than $260,000 to support the organization's programs to help people live better with Parkinson's through exercise, nutrition and a supportive community. To date, people in 23 countries around the world have used the Brian Grant Foundation's online programs.
"With Parkinson's, exercise and nutrition can have a positive and major impact on your life," says former NBA player Brian Grant. "But it takes more than exercise and nutrition – you have to have a support group too. My support group starts with my kids, my family and my friends here in Portland."
Notable attendees included former Trail Blazer players Damon Stoudamire and Bobby Gross as well as Academy Award-nominated singer, songwriter and record producer Raphael Saadiq. Grant and Stoudamire both played on the last Blazers team to make it to the western conference finals in 2000. Members of the Lillard family were also in attendance.
"From the moment I found out Brian had Parkinson's I knew he'd take on this new challenge. The relentless way he played the game, I knew he'd attack this the same way," says Stoudamire. "I’m just happy that after supporting him from afar I'm able to attend this beautiful event and see first hand the amount of work he's put into fighting this disease."
Attendees had a chance to hear from Grant about living with Parkinson's. Grant retired from the NBA in 2016 and was diagnosed with young onset Parkinson's in 2018 at the age of 36. He started the Brian Grant Foundation in 2010 to support Parkinson's research and has since redirected the organization's efforts to provide tools to improve the well being of people with the disease.
Parkinson's is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects cells in the brain that produce dopamine, a chemical messenger that helps to control movement. The outward signs of Parkinson's may include tremors, slowness of movement, balance problems and rigidity. Though there is no cure for Parkinson's, research has shown that healthy eating and social connections are important aspects for managing the condition and improving quality of life with the disease.
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Founded in 2010, the Brian Grant Foundation (BGF) empowers people impacted by Parkinson's to lead active and fulfilling lives. BGF's efforts focus on wellness, specifically exercise, nutrition, and emotional health programs. Visit www.briangrant.orgto learn more.