April as Parkinson's disease Awareness Month. Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder that is caused by degeneration of nerve cells in the part of the brain called the substantia nigra, which controls movement. These nerve cells die or become impaired, losing the ability to produce an important chemical called dopamine.

Parkinson's affects an estimated 1.5 million Americans, and approximately 60,000 new patients are reported annually. There were nearly 18,000 Parkinson's disease- related deaths in the United States in 2003.

Parkinson's disease is on the increase all over the world, and is now affecting younger people (as young as 30 years of age). Parkinson's is not just your grandparent's disease. There has been an alarming increase in the rate of diagnosis among young people.

The Columbia Parkinson's Support Group (CPSG) was established to provide support, encouragement, information, contacts, and education for Parkinson's patients, caregivers, family members, and others.