of $20 million raised.
Since 2005, Parkinson Voice Project has helped people with Parkinson’s and related movement disorders regain and retain their speech and swallowing abilities. Our SPEAK OUT! Therapy Program is highly effective.
We have treated patients in our Texas clinic for no charge since 2008. We have also awarded more than 1,600 training grants to hospitals, universities, rehabilitation clinics, and private practices across the U.S. and abroad. Through these grants, we have provided free SPEAK OUT! training to more than 2,100 speech-language pathologists and 9,400 graduate students… but it isn’t enough.
The Problem
Hundreds of thousands of people with Parkinson’s-related disorders are losing their ability to speak and swallow because they do not have access to SPEAK OUT! Therapy. Their voices are disappearing. They are requiring feeding tubes and developing life-threatening complications like aspiration pneumonia.
What are the barriers?
The primary barrier is that most hospitals and clinics rely on insurance and Medicare reimbursement. Unfortunately, this often prevents these patients from receiving the continuous speech therapy they need to battle a progressive, degenerative condition, like Parkinson’s. In addition, transportation issues and physical limitations make it impossible for some patients to travel to their local clinics for treatment.
Parkinson Voice Project wishes we could provide treatment from our clinic to patients everywhere. Unfortunately, speech pathology licensing regulations prevent us from treating patients outside of Texas.
A Surprising Solution
During the pandemic, the world became more “tech-savvy.” Parkinson Voice Project quickly recognized that online speech therapy was not only effective, it was convenient for the Parkinson’s population. Transportation challenges have been eliminated! The homebound can be treated! Patients living in rural areas now have access to quality speech treatment! And since our Texas clinic doesn’t rely on insurance or Medicare, there are no billing or financial limitations when patients are treated through our clinic. This is great news for people with Parkinson’s in Texas, but what about those who live in other parts of the United States or abroad?
Our Campaign to Reach America
Parkinson Voice Project is replicating our no charge, online speech therapy program across America. One university speech therapy clinic in every state will be named a “SPEAK OUT! Therapy & Research Center.” From this one clinic, every person with Parkinson’s or related movement disorders will have access to our SPEAK OUT! Therapy.
These Centers will also design and conduct SPEAK OUT! efficacy research with the goal of publishing their findings in a peer-reviewed scientific journal within 3-5 years. This will help save the speech and swallowing of future patients. More neurologists and healthcare providers will know that effective treatment exists and is available.
We need your help!
In December 2021, Parkinson Voice Project launched Our $20 Million Campaign To Reach America. This project will financially secure the many speech therapy services and training opportunities our nonprofit clinic already provides at no cost. In addition, this campaign will enable Parkinson Voice Project to support each SPEAK OUT! Therapy & Research Center with $50,000 in funding.
Our Board of Directors, staff, and long-time supporters contributed the first $8,226,550 to the campaign.
Fiscally Responsible
Parkinson Voice Project has never been in debt. Since our inception in 2005, we have been fiscally responsible. We have a score of 100 on Charity Navigator.
Please Donate Today!
