Men and Parkinson's

with Danny Bega, MD, MSCI, Allan Cole, Michael S. Fitts, Arun Mathur, MD, and Kent Toland, MD

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

1 pm MT (12 pm PT, 2 pm CT, 3 pm ET)

Parkinson’s can affect nearly every system in your body and may touch every aspect of your life. So, it’s no surprise that understanding sex and gender differences and how they impact Parkinson’s is an important consideration when it comes to living well.

During this webinar, our panel of physicians and people living with Parkinson’s will dive deep into some of the most pressing concerns they have related to sexuality, intimacy, physiology, and getting the best care they need to live well. Panelists will share important information, research, and personal experiences related to:

  • Urological issues such as urinary dysfunction, urinary incontinence, urinary urgency, and erectile dysfunction
  • Hormone therapies (particularly testosterone) and Parkinson’s
  • Motor and non-motor symptoms in men and how they impact sexuality, intimacy, desire, and performance
  • Psychosocial and mental health issues in men with Parkinson’s
  • Relationships, social roles, and identity for men with Parkinson’s
  • Care team considerations and communication

Join us for this interactive session where we discuss some of the unique issues men face and how to manage them to live well.

Click the button above and fill out the brief form to register for the webinar. You’ll receive a confirmation email with a link to the Zoom meeting.

As part of our “Sex and Gender Differences and their Impact on Parkinson’s” series, this webinar will address issues relevant to people who were assigned male at birth and/or people who identify as men. It is also for anyone who cares about these people such as care partners, friends, and family members. In this series, we are digging into how sex and gender differences affect Parkinson’s, focusing on physical experiences, psychosocial experiences, care team considerations, and more. We have people in our community who identify as cisgender, transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming, and this conversation, like all our conversations, are open to all.

Your Speakers for the Webinar

Danny Bega Headshot Color Circle
Danny Bega

Danny Bega, MD, MSCI is a fellowship trained, board-certified, movement disorders neurologist and Associate Professor of Neurology at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He has completed medical school at Rush University and clinical training in neurology at Harvard’s Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham & Women’s Hospital. Dr. Bega has expertise in the care and management of patients with a variety of movement disorders including Parkinson’s disease. He is also the Program Director for the neurology residency at Northwestern. He has completed master’s level training in clinical investigations through the Northwestern Graduate School and is the principal investigator for several industry-sponsored clinical trials. His primary area of interest is the study of complementary and non-pharmacologic interventions in movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease and their impact on quality of life, and he has received several grants to carry out this research.

Allan Cole Headshot Color Circle
Allan Cole

Allan Cole serves as deputy to the president for societal challenges and opportunities at The University of Texas at Austin (UT). He is also a Bert Kruger Smith Centennial Professor in the Steve Hicks School of Social Work and, by courtesy, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Dell Medical School. Cole’s research and teaching interests include chronic illness, health humanities, and mental health. He is the author or editor of 13 books and the author of dozens of chapters, articles, and reviews in volumes and journals related to the fields of social work, counseling, and the psychology of religion. He also serves on the editorial board for the Journal of Spirituality and Religion in Social Work: Social Thought (Taylor & Francis). 

Professor Cole serves on the Board of Trustees at Headwaters School. He also serves on the Board of Directors at Power for Parkinson’s and moderates PD Wise, an online hub he created for sharing personal stories, experiences, and wisdom gained from living with Parkinson’s that aim to encourage personal connections and opportunities for learning.  

Michael S. Fitts
Michael S. Fitts

Michael S. Fitts serves as assistant dean for user access and diversity at The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB Libraries). He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2011 at age 38. 

In 2001 he became the first African American faculty member of the Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences and later went on to become both the first African American assistant director and assistant dean. In 2015, Michael was appointed to the UAB/Lakeshore Research Collaborative — an organization whose primary goal is to promote the health and wellness of people with disabilities. 

In addition to his more than 20-year career with UAB, he serves as an advocate for the education of those with early-onset Parkinson’s by being as an example of living successfully and productively with the disease.   

Arun Mathur headshot Color Circle
Arun Mathur

A native of Nova Scotia, Dr. Mathur received his Bachelor of Science degree and Doctor of Medicine at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He went on to specialize in urologic surgery at the same institution. He finished his training at the University of Toronto, Sunnybrook Hospital with a fellowship in Urodynamics and female incontinence. A significant part of the training included cancer surgery.  
 
Arun worked for a period of time in Sudbury, Ontario prior to moving to Oshawa in 1997. Since moving to Oshawa he has developed a large general urologic practice with emphasis on laparoscopic surgery, oncology and female incontinence. In 2014 he took on the role of Medical Director of the Surgical Program at Lakeridge Health and in the same year added the role of Adjunct I Associate Professor at Queens University teaching Family Practice residents. 

Kent Toland Headshot Color Circle
Kent Toland

Kent is 63 years old and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2013. He completed his residency in Urology at the University of Colorado, following which he enjoyed a 25-year fulfilling career in the field. He currently resides in Portland, Oregon and is married with five children and two grandchildren who live close by. Kent tries to live well every day by staying physically active, skiing, hiking and cycling and is a Team DPF member, having participated in Ride the Rockies in 2019 and 2021.  

THANK YOU TO OUR PRESENTING PARTNERS OF THE LIVE WELL TODAY WEBINAR SERIES

While the generous support of our sponsors makes our educational programs possible, their donations do not influence Davis Phinney Foundation content, perspective, or speaker selection.

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