The World Parkinson’s Program is the only registered Canadian charity that provides free Parkinson’s medications to those in need around the world.
To improve the quality of life of those affected by Parkinson’s disease through education, advocacy, and providing free medication and supportive services.
Our core belief is that every individual with Parkinson’s disease should have access to medication, education and any other supportive services that will improve their quality of life regardless of where they are in the world and their financial circumstances.
The World Parkinson’s Program is a Canadian not-for-profit charitable global organization. It was founded by world renowned Canadian neurologist, Dr. Abdul Qayyum Rana, in 2008. Dr. A.Q. Rana is not only just a clinician and researcher, but also an advocate for patients and caregivers, a philanthropist, a leader in health education, and a reformer. During his childhood, he noticed his grandmother had severe tremors and required constant care. It was only after her death and becoming a physician did he realize his grandmother had Parkinson’s disease. This had a profound impact on him and pushed him to be the individual who he is today.
Dr. Rana founded the World Parkinson’s Program with the following objectives in mind:
Provide free medications globally to people with Parkinson’s who cannot afford them.
Educate people about Parkinson’s in multiple languages to increase awareness and importance of care.
Provide free assistive devices to people with Parkinson‘s who cannot afford them.
Dr. Rana’s objectives for the World Parkinson’s Program soon became our mission and vision. Up until 2012, the focus of the World Parkinson’s Program was primarily education. In 2012, the scope of the World Parkinson’s Program expanded to include our key services: medications, walkers, canes and other healthcare supplies for people with Parkinson’s living in poverty. In 2017, the organization grew even more by gaining a registered charity status with the Canada Revenue Agency. Since then, the organization has continued to grow with our primary mandate being free medications as this is a key requirement to improve the quality of life of people with Parkinson’s.