Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson’s Wellness Announces Another Leadership Role

Photo Courtesy of Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson’s | Emily Borchers, PT, DPT Selected as Director of Innovation

The Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson’s has carefully selected highly qualified experts in the treatment of Parkinson’s for leadership roles at its Center for Parkinson’s Wellness, opening later this year.  The foundation recently announced Angee Ludwa, PT, MPT as Director of Programming and now are happy to announce Emily Borchers, PT, DPT will bring over a decade of experience in working to improve the lives of those living with Parkinson’s to her role as Director of Innovation.

In her role as Director of Innovation,

Emily will establish and lead the onboarding team at the Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson’s Wellness, guiding participants through registration, assessments, and orientation. Additionally, she will lead the education and support activities at the Center, and lead the research and innovation process, working with partners throughout the Parkinson’s community to develop new strategies and programs to support the Center’s mission.

Emily received her doctorate in physical therapy from Ohio State University and is currently involved in a research study investigating outcomes in people with Parkinson’s disease participating in ongoing physical therapy and multilevel group exercise classes. In her most recent role as Rehabilitation and Wellness Manager at Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, Emily established and provided integrated physical therapy and group exercise classes for people with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and dementia.  As a faculty member for Parkinson Wellness Recovery (PWR!), she teaches continuing education courses for physical and occupational therapists, instructing them on how to train people with Parkinson’s to improve functional mobility, balance, and independence.  Emily is passionate about empowering people with Parkinson’s and implementing a proactive approach to ongoing rehabilitative, exercise, and wellness services for improved quality of life.

“We are fortunate to have found someone with Emily’s years of experience in improving the lives of people with Parkinson’s to join our team as Director of Innovation,” said Steve Annear, Chief Executive Officer for The Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson’s.  “Emily’s passion and expertise will enhance the Center’s mission and help keep us at the forefront for movement-based programs.”

When the Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson’s Wellness opens later this year,

it will be the first of its kind in Michigan.  The center, which will be located at 31440 Northwestern Highway in Farmington Hills, 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 Approach^TM, 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.

For more information on The Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson’s Wellness and to learn about opportunities to support its mission, please visit: KirkGibsonFoundation.org

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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