Pensive Parky is planning now for next year’s World Parkinson Congress! Click on the link to learn more about what will take place in Phoenix, Arizona, from May 24-26, 2026. There’ll be research updates, guest speakers, fun activities, and the opportunity to meet people active in the Parkinson’s movement from around the world.
As Parky prepares for this terrific trip, he’ll leave some suggestions on this parkingsuns page for everyone.
First, click here for a WPC blog post about how to make life easier when you travel with PD. The writer traces good and not-so-good experiences he had when flying alone. Thankfully, he overcame many of his problems because he carried a “sunflower lanyard,” which many of the airline staff recognized; they fixed things when they could, and often took him to the head of every line, making him feel like a VIP (that’s Very Important Person OR Very Important Parky – take your pick!).
To get your own sunflower lanyard, click here! The opening page will state the following:
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What is the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower?
The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is a simple tool for you to voluntarily share that you have a disability or condition that may not be immediately apparent – and that you may need a helping hand, understanding, or more time in shops, at work, on transport, or in public spaces.
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I know from personal experience that it’s great when you’re traveling and the airport staff knows that you have PD. My husband and I flew to Osaka, Japan, last year to visit his parents. When we arrived at the airport in New York, we told the first staff member we met that I had PD and couldn’t go through the electronic scanning machine because I had DBS metal inside my skull. The staff put me in a wheelchair and not only whisked me through any line we encountered, but they parked me in the business class lounge until my flight was called, after which my husband and I got to board the plane before anyone else. This exceptional treatment continued when we switched planes in Tokyo, and on the return flights to New York.
I’ll get my own Sunflower Lanyard soon!
