Spread the Word

Help the public understand this disease that affects more than four million people worldwide!

Here are a few strategies:

• Focus the Media on Parkinson's
• Send a Letter to the Editor
• Involve Public Officials
• Be a Liaison in the Library Program
• Quilt for Parkinson's
• Spread the Word Online!

Focus the Media on PD

April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month!  A media outreach campaign can help raise awareness in your community and around the country.  The key to media outreach is starting early.  The following tips will guide you through your media outreach.

Tell Your Story

Perhaps you have been living with Parkinson’s for years and want to spread awareness.  Maybe you raised $3,000 through an event for a loved one living with the disease or you are an artist who finds therapeutic benefit from your artwork.  Either way, no one can tell your story about Parkinson’s better than you.  Start jotting down ideas about what you’d like to communicate.

No matter what your story, it is important to include facts too.  Statistics (for instance, the fact that nearly one million Americans are living with PD) will help others to understand your story in context.

Build a Media List

• Research a list of local reporters. 
• Start with the media outlets with which you are already familiar – your local newspapers, radio stations and  local news station (many of these media contacts can be found by doing a simple Internet search or by calling the main number of the publication/outlet).
• Which reporters would be most receptive to your story?  Consider a reporter’s ‘beat.’  Often for local papers, it is the community news, community health or science reporters who may be most interested. Record each potential reporter’s name and contact information.  If there is more than one reporter for each beat listed, it is okay to initially reach out to all of them.
• Contact reporters in advance with a phone call or pitch letter to introduce yourself (see sample media outreach calendar below).
• Follow-up!  Many reporters are overwhelmed with stories irrelevant to their beat.  It’s important to send your information to the right person and follow-up two or three times to ensure that they have seen your release.
• Remember that building a list isn’t just about asking for something, it’s about building a relationship with reporters who want to communicate important news to your community.

Write a Press Release 

A press release is a tool that will enable you to share your story.  It should be personal and interesting while also relevant to the broader community.   Keep it short and include facts about your work or event – who, what, where, when, why and how.  If you know that your event will be a large community event or include a moving, personal story, highlight that.   A sample press release is included below.  You can use this template to insert your own story and facts.

 

Send the Press Release to Your Media List

• The easiest way to communicate with the media is through email, although some do prefer calls. 
• In the subject heading of your email, include a phrase that is concise and eye-catching (i.e. Local Resident Aims to Raise $5,000 for Parkinson’s Research).
• Keep your email short: include an introduction and state your purpose for writing.  Tell the reporter that your press release is included in the email and then copy/paste it within the actual text of the email.  Do not send the release as an attachment.  Attachments are often marked as spam and so your email will never reach the reporter's inbox.

If you have to/prefer to call first:

• Devise a list of talking points before calling, much like those you would have said if you initially emailed your release. Reporters do not have much time to chat.
• Utilize the “elevator pitch” method.  This means that you have about 30 – 90 seconds to get your contact interested in wanting to hear more.  If the reporter is interested, he or she will also ask for a follow-up email and this is where you could include more details of your event as well as your sample press release.

Follow – Up

• Follow-up is most likely the single most important point after developing your targeted media list. Reporters are used to follow-up, so do not be afraid to call many times.  Follow-up emails are also helpful - state that you wanted to make sure the reporter received your previous email and re-state why you contacted him or her initially.
• Follow instructions!  If you receive a voicemail asking you not to leave a message regarding pitch emails, then do not, but continue to call. 
• When calling, be prepared and polite. 
• If you have received confirmation of receipt of your email, ask for event coverage and if there is anything else that you can provide for the reporter.
• If they seem as if they need more convincing, tell them that you have a media kit prepared with more information (see suggestions below).  We have provided samples for material you may want to place in your media kit.

Develop a Media Kit:

Your kit can include:

• Press release (See a template)
• Parkinson’s disease fact sheet (Download PDF's Fact Sheet)
• Proclamation from the President, your governor/mayor (See a Sample Proclamation)
• Flyer or promotional information for your event, if applicable

Suggested Media Outlets:

• Local newspapers
• Health producers at local news stations
• Radio stations
• Community or health editors at a local newspaper
• Web staff at local newspapers or broadcast outlets
• Hospital medical newsletters
• Online bulletin boards
• Calendar of events for your neighborhood

 

Sample Media Schedule

February and March

• Select your targeted media outlets.
• Find the specific contacts for each outlet that you will reach out to.
• Fill in the personalized material on the sample press release.
• Develop your talking points for the phone and your selling points for the pitch email.
• Draft your email so it is ready to go at the beginning of April (or before if your event is early in the month)*

* If you know that your event will be held in early April, please re-adjust the timeline to maximize the time you have to get media coverage.

April

• Send out your press release.
• Send follow-up emails and make follow-up calls to reporters.
• Continue to be persistent and follow-up again.
• Once you have set up coverage for your event, confirm all details.
• After the event has been covered, send thank you notes to the reporters who worked with you to get your story heard.

 

Send a Letter to the Editor

Sending a simple letter to your local paper can be a wonderful way to alert your community about Parkinson's Awareness Month. What should you include? It may be helpful to write about your personal connection to Parkinson's (whether it is you or a loved one), details about your events or efforts to raise awareness and a direct invitation to community members to participate in any local activities. See a sample letter below.

See Sample Letter to the Editor

 

Involve Public Officials

Public officials - mayors, governors, state legislators and their spouses – can help to make Parkinson’s Awareness Month a newsworthy event.  Receiving a proclamation from a mayor or governor serves the purpose of increasing awareness about Parkinson’s disease and the continued need for research for better treatments and a cure.

Use the tips and sample proclamation below in your efforts. For more information on partnering with political representatives, contact the Parkinson’s Action Network at (800) 850-4726 or www.parkinsonsaction.org. We suggest asking PAN who else in your area is working on a proclamation and/or contacting a local or regional Parkinson's group about their efforts. This will ensure that our work with public officials around the US is coordinated and has the great impact possible.

 

Tips for Passing the Word to Public Officials

• Allow plenty of lead time.  Getting a proclamation approved and signed can be a lengthy process. Plan to make frequent follow-up phone calls. 
• You are more likely get attention for your request for a public official's involvement if you invite other local Parkinson’s organizations and prominent individuals to join you in submitting the request.
• Send your request on the letterhead of one lead organization and include the signatures of all other coalition members.  Choose one person to be the contact to represent the group in the cover letter.
• If you are requesting that a public official sign a proclamation, include a copy of the proclamation with your letter.
• If you are requesting that a public official participate in a Parkinson’s Awareness Month event, include the date, time, location and a brief description in your letter.  Also note the names of any other invited public officials, any sponsors of the event, a general description of the audience and the role you would like the person to play in the event.
• Contact information for city and state officials can be found in your local telephone directory.  If you wish to invite an official's spouse, call the official's office and ask for the name and address of the staff person who handles the spouse's correspondence and scheduling.

 See a Sample Proclamation

 

Be a Liaison in PDF’s Library Outreach Program

Libraries in select locations are displaying the Awareness Month Toolkit to highlight the cause.  Are you connected to your local library?  Contact us to participate and run these ideas past your local library:

Who Should You Talk to?

Your contact will vary, depending on how your library works.  Some libraries utilize their volunteer committees to handle new events. Others will point you towards a specific staff person or the library director.

 

Types of Events

• Create a Parkinson’s display in the library. Many libraries have an area they use for these sorts of activities.  Offer PDF or other educational materials so that those visiting the library can learn more about Parkinson’s.
• Use the display to advertise any other fundraising or awareness-raising events in your neighborhood.
• Partner with other groups active with the library to host an educational event (see tips for our educational events) or build Parkinson’s into one of their events.  For instance, many libraries have health-related groups that put on educational events each month. See if, in April, they’ll focus the event on Parkinson’s disease!
• Publicize your event in library newsletters, flyers, on websites, bulletin boards, and through local media.
• Plan a book fair with a health theme.  Invite local expert speakers to provide “mini-seminars” on Parkinson’s and related topics at the library throughout the day.

 

Distribute Materials

Distribute Parkinson’s materials to library visitors.  PDF offers the following materials free of charge (some are available in both English and Spanish). You can order these online or contact us at (800) 457-6676 or info@pdf.org to place your order!

• Parkinson’s Disease Q&A, booklet
• Diagnosis Parkinson’s Disease: You Are Not Alone DVD, VHS and booklet
• Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s Disease, booklet
• Parkinson’s Fact Sheet Series  (includes information on nutrition; caregiving; gastrointestinal and urinary dysfunction in PD, cognitive changes in PD, speech issues and treatment, and physical therapy exercise)
• Parkinson’s Disease Resource List (a 100-page publication listing 650 resources around the country)
• News & Review, quarterly educational newsletter
• Parkinson's Clinical Trials Bulletin
• You Can Play a Part in Moving Parkinson's Research Forward
• Participating in Parkinson's Clinical Research: Questions to Ask

 

Quilt for Parkinson's

**Only ONE DAY LEFT to mail in your panel!  Submission deadline is July 23, 2010.**  Become a part of the Parkinson's Quilt Project, the first global quilt project to focus the world's attention on the nearly one million people in the US and more than 4.1 million people worldwide living with Parkinson's.  Make a quilt panel – about your life with Parkinson’s or in honor of a loved one living with PD – or support a friend in their quilting efforts!  The Quilt will be displayed for the first time at the 2nd World Parkinson Congress in Glasgow, Scotland in September 2010. 

Become a Quilter!

 

Support Parkinson’s Online

During Parkinson’s Awareness Month, join PDF online to raise awareness among your friends and family!

Here are some suggestions:

• Dedicate your Facebook status to raise awareness about Parkinson’s during April.
• Send personalized eCards from the PDF website to your friends and family to encourage them to join the fight to find the cure (http://support.pdf.org/ecards). 
• Become a Fan of PDF’s page or Join our Cause on Facebook!
• If you have a birthday that falls in April, set up the option for your Facebook friends to donate to a Parkinson’s organization for your birthday.
• Publicize your event!  Submit details about your event at www.pdf.org/en/event_calendar and it could be published on PDF’s website!

 

PDF ON FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/parkinsonsdiseasefoundation    

PDF ON BLOGGER: www.parkinsonsdiseasefoundation.blogspot.com

 

PDF ON MYSPACE:
www.myspace.com/pdfparkinsons