Dear friends,

Where did summer go? Suddenly it’s autumn in New York. We see members returning from their July and August holidays, eager to get back to their exercise routine at The Bandeen Center. We’re ready! Our fall schedule is packed with signature classes and events, plus new offerings to keep you moving and empowered. Take a look at our September calendar, which includes a free community event with NYU Fresco Institute Director Dr. Steven Frucht, the return of SpeakOut! speech therapy, and so much more. If you or someone you know is ready to learn more about how our center is transforming lives for people braving Parkinson’s, please come see us or get in touch.

We continue to dream big for our 58th and Lex facility, which will grow to more than 9,000 square feet of light-filled space later this year. Construction starts this week, and the additional area means more programming, more opportunities for connection, and more ways to help this incredible community navigate life with PD. Sometimes we have to pinch ourselves when we show up at The Bandeen Center on a Wednesday morning and see members engaged in a competitive ping pong rally while others solve a jigsaw puzzle before the start of a nutrition workshop in the conference room. Did this really not exist a year ago? We are stunned when people thank us for opening our doors, and even more so when they ask us about opening a second or third location! Truly, there could be no higher compliment as we work to expand our programming alongside our growing membership.

October will see the return of our Parkinson’s 101 seminar, the center’s flagship event for members diagnosed with PD in the last two years, along with their loved ones.This series of expert-led lectures is one of the many ways we bring multiple PD resources under one roof to improve the Parkinson’s journey for all of us. We’re also excited about the arrival of our second ping pong table (more on how ping pong has taken our center by storm in the article below) and the launch of our cycling program in partnership with the Davis Phinney Foundation.

Finally, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the many supporters who donated in honor of April’s Parkinson’s Awareness Month. The inaugural online giving campaign raised more than $300K. Our days are full, and our gratitude is endless. 

We hope you will come visit The Bandeen Center when you’re next in our neighborhood. Our doors are always open!

Sincerely,

Bonnie & Derek

FEATURE

In April, we asked you to consider making a gift in honor of Parkinson’s Awareness Month. What followed exceeded anything we expected: our inaugural online giving campaign raised $337,686 for the Parkinson’s Wellness Foundation.

Your generosity is already at work—funding fitness programming, subsidized memberships, and The Bandeen Center’s expansion. Every gift, whether $50 or $5,000, stretched our ambitions and lifted up each and every member. Thank you! Thank you for believing in our mission and for making New York City’s first dedicated space for the Parkinson’s community the vibrant, thriving, and hopeful place that it is. If you haven’t yet had the chance to give, it’s not too late to support us—every contribution continues to make a difference.

Derek representing The Bandeen Center at the Michael J. Fox Foundation’s Parkinson’s Unity Walk on April 25, 2026 in Central Park, NYC

JOIN US

Download your copy or grab one from the front desk. We have a great lineup of upcoming special events that we don’t want you to miss. Take a look at our schedule online or give us a call to register, (212) 831-3476. We look forward to seeing you!

Struggling with shuffling steps, smaller strides, or feet that feel stuck? Join BC Fitness Advisor and physical therapist Rose Gallagher, PhD, for an open conversation about common gait challenges in Parkinson’s, plus practical strategies to help you walk with greater confidence and control.

Join Natalie Hellmers, nurse practitioner at Weill Cornell, for an overview of current and emerging technologies—from apps and tremor therapies to sleep devices and AI—and how they can help people with Parkinson’s become active partners in their own care. 

UPDATES

Highlights From Our Community

Let the games begin!

A single ping-pong table has introduced a beloved pastime to the center—along with a device known as the ‘Glopper’ and a ceiling-ball ruling nicknamed the ‘Derek Edict.’ Read on to discover who BYOs paddles to open gym, and join us for our first ping pong clinic on Sept 9!”

Shri on a recent trip to Norway 

For the debut interview of our newest series, we sit down with Shri, a retired software engineer and world traveler who brings joy to The Bandeen Center and to his family in equal measure. 

Todd preparing to lead a Total Body workout 

Todd Smith is impossible to miss in our fitness studio, and just as compelling outside of it. This Ask an Expert dives into his impressive fitness career, his belief that every person deserves to be treated like an athlete, and why he’s committed to The Bandeen Center (and our new personal training program!) 

“There aren’t enough words to describe how helpful The Bandeen Center has been for me and my husband, who has had Parkinson’s for 14 years. We had been searching for an all inclusive facility since he was diagnosed and finally, the perfect place has arrived.”—Care partner

“It’s the best of a workout and group therapy. I’ve learned a lot, including confidence.”—Member

“The Bandeen Center is life altering.”—Care partner

You belong here, too. Inquire about our flexible membership options and join our community today! We can’t wait to see you.

EMPOWERED TO MOVE. EMPOWERED TO BE.

133 East 58th Street (at Lexington Ave.)

New York, NY 10022

(212) 831-3476

info@parkinsonswf.org

www.parkinsonswf.org

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