Free Parkinson's disease medical examinations are to be held every Tuesday and Thursday in April, at St. Marina University Hospital in Varna on the occasion of the World Parkinson's Day. Prof. Dr. Ara Kaprelyan and his team are going to conduct examinations from 1.00 pm to 2.30 pm, without prior registration, at fl.14 at the University Hospital. The initiative is part of a national campaign of the National Organization of Patients with Parkinson's disease and the Association for a Dignified Life of Bulgarian People with Parkinson.
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative neurological disorder. Approximately 20 000 people in Bulgaria suffer from it, and 10% of them are in the late stage. The disease was fully described for the first time by James Parkinson in 1817. The typical symptoms are trembling hands and feet, slurred speech, arching and uneven gait.
The tulip has been the symbol of people living with Parkinson's since 1980. The Dutch gardener Van der Vereld, who suffered from Parkinson's disease, managed to select a special red and white tulip, which he named Parkinson. The red tulip was declared the world symbol of the disease on 11 April 2005, at a conference of the 9th World Parkinson's Day in Luxembourg.
