On Saturday, April 28, thousands of walkers will gather for the 2018 Parkinson's Unity Walk in New York City's Central Park to move one step closer to ending Parkinson's disease (PD). Here are five reasons why you need to be at this year's event.

1. Be Active: Keep walking toward a cure.
   There is evidence that exercise may hold benefits for people with PD. The Parkinson's Unity Walk welcomes anyone who wants a cure to join -- people living with Parkinson's, caregivers, family and friends -- all are invited to come out and get moving!
2. Be Informed: Learn more about living with the disease.
   At the Unity Walk, participants will have the opportunity to learn about disease management by visiting the booths of Parkinson's organizations, healthcare experts (including movement disorders specialists) and movement disorders centers. You can also watch exercise demonstrations and visit the booths of our sponsors to learn about current medical therapies.
3. Be a Supporter: Help fund critical research.
   The Unity Walk is the largest grassroots fundraiser for PD research in the United States. Since inception in 1994, the Unity Walk has funded hundreds of research studies -- with 100 percent of donations from the event supporting research funded by five major Parkinson's organizations including The Michael J. Fox Foundation. In 2017, the Unity Walk raised over $1.5 million to fund treatments to halt or slow the progression of the disease and improve the quality of life for patients.
4. Be Part of Something Big: Unite with the community.
   The Parkinson's family is a large one. The Unity Walk lets you meet new people, as well as reunite with old friends. When you gather with thousands of fellow walkers, you will feel the impact of people connecting with one shared goal -- ending Parkinson's disease.
5. Be Empowered: Finish the Unity Walk strong.
   As you cross the finish line, leave Central Park with new tools to manage your disease, the support of an entire community and a sense of promise for the future. Our goal is to equip each participant with the knowledge and encouragement to live well with Parkinson's disease all year round.

Help us make every step count and register at UnityWalk.org.