Photo Courtesy of Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson’s
IN HONOR OF PARKINSON’S AWARENESS MONTH, THE KIRK GIBSON FOUNDATION FOR PARKINSON’S IS HOSTING “GIBBY’S DAY” AT COMERICA PARK!
Portion of proceeds from tickets to benefit the foundation on April 23, Detroit Tigers vs. San Diego Padres Game!
The Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson’s is pleased to announce that the Detroit Tigers will be supporting the foundation during Parkinson’s Awareness Month, which takes place each April. The Detroit Tigers game on Wednesday April 23rd will be “Gibby’s Day” and has been selected in honor of Kirk’s jersey number 23, as a benefit game for the foundation.
Those interested in attending the game,
can purchase tickets at www.KirkGibsonFoundation.org. A portion of proceeds from tickets purchased through the website directly, will benefit the foundation. The game at Comerica Park starts at 1:10 p.m. against the San Diego Padres. There will be various activities throughout the game with the team from the Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson’s and additional ways to further support the cause. For those unable to attend the game that day but still interested in helping the foundation or learning more about ways to further support, information is also available on the website.
The foundation was formed by former professional baseball player and manager, Kirk Gibson, after his diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease in 2015. Gibson spent most of his career with the Tigers, but also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates. Gibson spends his time supporting his mission and vision of spreading awareness for Parkinson’s and providing inspiration and hope to others who are living with Parkinson’s.
The mission of the Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson’s,
is to improve the quality of life of those living with Parkinson’s through the development and delivery of activity-based programs. Over the years and through fundraising events like this, the foundation has had the goal of opening a center focused on that mission. This mission has become a reality, and the Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson’s Wellness will open later this year. It will be the first of its kind in Michigan and will be located at 31440 Northwestern Highway in Farmington Hills. The wellness center will be a world-class facility where those impacted by Parkinson’s can access a range of activity-based programs, completely free of charge with no insurance required.
The Center will provide a series of free programs, many of which were developed by InMotion, a Cleveland based leader in the provision of evidence-based programs tailored for people with Parkinson’s disease. Movement matters in the fight against Parkinson’s and through leveraging the InMotion ApproachTM, the Kirk Gibson Center will provide an integrated, holistic system of wellness programs designed to counteract the symptoms of the disease and to improve the quality of life of those people living with Parkinson’s disease here in Michigan. Offering approximately 70 hours of weekly programming with initial capacity to provide 60,000 visitor hours per year, the center will ultimately serve as a model for collaborative coalitions in support of people living with Parkinson’s.
Participating in “Gibby’s Day” on April 23rd at Comerica Park, or providing a donation to the foundation, will further this mission to help those in Michigan, living with Parkinson’s.
WHEN:
April 23, 2025
Game time: 1:10 p.m.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW:
Ticket prices ranges from $22-55 each.
To purchase tickets, or provide support through donations to the foundation, please visit:
Follow The Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson’s social:
Facebook: @KirkGibsonFoundation
Instagram: @KirkGibsonFoundation
LinkedIn: @KirkGibsonFoundationForParkinson’s
X: @KirkGibsonFDN
About the Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson’s:
The Kirk Gibson Foundation was created in 1996 to provide college scholarships to both athletes and non- athletes at Waterford Kettering and Clarkston High Schools, where Kirk’s parents, Robert and Barbara, taught for many years. After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2015, he expanded the mission of the Foundation to improve the quality of life of those living with Parkinson’s through the development and delivery of activity-based programs. Kirk’s vision is to provide inspiration, hope, and help to those living with Parkinson’s disease and their loved ones. Since that expansion, the Foundation has raised more than $3 million towards research grants and programs to support the Parkinson’s community.
Additionally, the Foundation wants to create awareness and understanding about Parkinson’s disease. Too many individuals are in denial about the disease or fear a stigma associated with Parkinson’s and delay seeking medical help. Early diagnosis and treatment can provide years that are virtually symptom-free. It’s imperative to know that life expectancy is about the same as for people without the disease. While life will change with a Parkinson’s diagnosis, many symptoms can be managed with proper medication and movement therapies, and patients can still live an active and enjoyable life. The Foundation will continue to fund and grow outreach programs as well as improve awareness through hosting special events and by increasing fundraising activities. For more information, please visit www.KirkGibsonFoundation.org