The Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, has been in existence since 1970. Its focus is to conduct research into the causes and treatment of movement disorders and to provide state-of-the-art care for movement disorder patients. Patients in our practice range in age from small children to the elderly. The physicians and staff of the center have three main areas of focus: patient care, education and research.

As clinical researchers, Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorder Center team members not only bring the latest innovations in medicine to their patients. They also spark those innovations by bringing their problems to the lab, where Rush researchers focus on uncovering novel ways to treat and prevent movement disorders. Rush researchers are currently investigating the implantation of retinal cells to protect the brain from deterioration caused by Parkinson's disease, and the preliminary results have been promising. Several Rush studies are zeroing in on preventing the progression of Parkinson's disease in its early stages. The objective: to halt or slow down the disease.

How can you help?

We look to our patients, families and friends to be donors in partnership. The Parkinson's Disease Foundation has awarded us a matching annual commitment whereby the foundation will match individual donations to our Parkinson's disease program dollar for dollar up to $325,000. This unique agreement means that your donation is automatically matched, and research dollars are doubled.

When you designate your contribution amount, use the Gift Designation option to select Neurosciences and then click Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Program. For more information on gift giving, please contact Bernadette O'Shea, our liaison officer for the Rush Philanthropy Office, at (312) 942-8710.

The center cares for patients with the following diagnoses:

• Parkinson's disease
• Huntington's disease and other choreic illnesses
• Gilles de la Tourette syndrome and other tic-related illnesses
• Dystonia
• Tremor
• Myoclonus
• Ataxia

One of the nation's leading experts on movement disorders, Christopher Goetz, MD, is director of the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders program at Rush University Medical Center. He leads one of the world's largest groups of experts dedicated to movement disorders. Each member of the group focuses on a specific area of interest, whether it be women's health issues, surgical approaches to disease or how disease affects patients while they are sleeping. Learn more about the movement disorders team at Rush.