NEW YORK—At the MM+M Awards last week, the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) won three awards for its unique ParkinSex resource which was launched earlier in 2023. APDA's ParkinSex, created in partnership with Havas Health Plus (part of the health and wellness network, Havas Health & You), is an innovative, experiential guide to intimacy meant to help people with Parkinson's disease (PD) and their partners deepen their connections and improve sexual wellness, which has been linked to overall health and well-being.
The MM+M Awards (Medical Marketing & Media) strive to recognize, champion, and celebrate creativity and effectiveness in healthcare marketing and communications and are judged entirely by fellow industry peers. APDA's ParkinSex was honored and acknowledged with top awards including the ultimate award of the night, the Titanium Best in Show. Organizers at MM+M sang its praises, saying on the website, "ParkinSex is one of the most compassionate and complete entries the judges have ever seen, addressing a well-known—yet long-ignored— problem. Kind, practical, and imaginative, it helps Parkinson's disease patients reclaim sexual intimacy, taking the definition of wellness out of the doctor's office and into the bedroom."
APDA's ParkinSex took home the following MM+M awards:
• Titanium "Best in Show"
• Gold; Best Use of Customer Experience Marketing Award
• Gold; Best Use of Film or Video Award
"We could not be more proud of ParkinSex," stated Chambers. "We know that intimacy can play a significant role in quality of life, yet the challenges of Parkinson's can often result in intimacy and connection getting left behind. We created ParkinSex to help people with PD rekindle that special connection and find new ways to revive intimacy, and to have it honored and celebrated in this way is so rewarding." She adds "This project would not have been possible without the dedication and creativity of the Havas Health Plus team—we are so thankful for their commitment to ParkinSex."
Parkinson's has a high rate of sexual dysfunction which can cause partners to grow apart physically and emotionally. Symptoms like tremor, rigidity, and fatigue can reinforce this growing distance. To help provide nonclinical strategies for people living with Parkinson's, APDA's ParkinSex is a guide to intimacy meant to help people with Parkinson's and their partners deepen their connections and improve sexual wellness, which has been linked to overall health and well-being. APDA's ParkinSex is a kit that includes stimulating items and a book on how to put them into practice. Together, they specifically address the physical and emotional needs of people with Parkinson's. A digital video booklet and downloadable PDF are also available at any time. Quantities of the ParkinSex kit (which is shipped free of charge) are limited. When necessary, a waitlist is available.
"We have always known that ParkinSex is something special, but it is exciting and validating for it to win these awards," stated Rebecca Gilbert, MD, Ph.D., chief mission officer, APDA. "As a movement disorders specialist, I know that sexual dysfunction can be difficult to bring up with a health care provider. When it is discussed, people will describe how they miss the intimate connection they used to have with their partner and explain how their PD has put a damper on their sex life. ParkinSex allows people to explore the topic in the comfort of their own home, on their own time, and get some practical ideas that will hopefully increase their quality of life."
To learn more about APDA's ParkinSex and the many resources and programs APDA provides, visit apdaparkinson.org.
