Teenager raises over $40,000 for Parkinson’s research

Global update

Author: Geoffrey ChangPublished: 9 April 2015

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How much could you fundraise from selling bookmarks?

Jenna Sigurdson – a 13 year old from Winnipeg, Canada – received more than $40,000, after creating a campaign to raise awareness about Parkinson’s disease involving bookmarks.

She was inspired into action when her dad was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease three years earlier. Combining entrepreneurial determination with philanthropic spirit, Jenna decided to create bookmarks that sold for two dollars each.

“Most of the time kids think, I can’t do this right?” said Jenna. “You can set your mind to do anything that you want to do, it’s just determination.”

She raised the impressive amount in just four years and has donated the money to Parkinson’s research at the Parkinson’s Society of Manitoba in Canada.

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Global update

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Researchers at the University of Manchester, UK, have drawn on one woman’s sense of smell to develop a swab test that may be used to detect Parkinson’s. The scientists used the test to analyse sebum (a type of oily substance on the skin) in 79 people with Parkinson’s and a control group of 71 healthy individuals. The team identified more than 4,000 different compounds in the participant samples – including 500 that were unique to those living with the condition. The test was developed with the help of Joy Milne from Perth, Scotland, whose unique sense of smell meant that she noticed a change in her late husband Les’s odour twelve years before he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Speaking to the BBC, Professor Perdita Barran, who led the research, described the test as potentially “transformative” – and said that the team hopes to roll the test out to people in…

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Teenager raises over $40,000 for Parkinson’s research

Global update

Author: Geoffrey ChangPublished: 9 April 2015

Prep: Cook: Serves:

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Global update

Win a free copy of ‘Faces of Parkinson’s’ book by sharing #UniteForParkinsons

Interviews

Meet the filmmaker documenting his father’s Parkinson’s journey

Interviews

“I came home, spoke to my wife, and we cried together”

Ireland survey aims to uncover link between pesticides and Parkinson’s disease

Is there a link between Parkinson’s disease and blood vessel dysfunction?

New swab test may help with Parkinson’s disease diagnosis

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Teenager raises over $40,000 for Parkinson’s research

Global update

Author: Geoffrey ChangPublished: 9 April 2015

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

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Global update

Win a free copy of ‘Faces of Parkinson’s’ book by sharing #UniteForParkinsons

Interviews

Meet the filmmaker documenting his father’s Parkinson’s journey

Interviews

“I came home, spoke to my wife, and we cried together”

Ireland survey aims to uncover link between pesticides and Parkinson’s disease

Is there a link between Parkinson’s disease and blood vessel dysfunction?

New swab test may help with Parkinson’s disease diagnosis

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