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Poway woman joins Parkinson’s panel ‘to find a cure for me’

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Poway resident Girija Muralidhar will be helping give back to the Parkinson’s disease community on the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation’s (PDF) national People with Parkinson’s Advisory Council.

Muralidhar, a retired research scientist and 35-year Poway resident, was named as part of the council in May.

A retired bioimmunologist, she spent her 30-year career working on projects that included researching a vaccine for AIDS. Ten years ago, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. “Now, I’m working to find a cure for me,” she said. “I decided I had to do something to help my fellow patients, and in the process, help myself too.”

She is one of the founding members of the Parkinson’s Creative Collective and co-author of “Peripatetic Pursuit of Parkinson Disease,” an anthology of personal experiences. She has shared her knowledge with the international Parkinson’s disease community, participating in the last two World Parkinson Congresses in Montreal, Canada and Glasgow, Scotland.

As a member of the council, Muralidhar will help guide the PDF’s mission and priorities; identify and solve unmet needs; provide input on programs; and serve as liaisons to the community. All members of the council live with Parkinson’s disease.

“Acting as a liaison between patients and researchers is perfect for me,” said Muralidhar. “I can learn about research and communicate to patients. It’s the best thing the organization could do. Patients deserve to know what is going on. They have to be proactive.”

She said as part of the council, she also explains information to people, guides them through researching Parkinson’s disease and asks questions. “There’s a lot of information out there (about Parkinson’s disease) if you can find it,” she said.

Muralidhar participates in monthly meetings about current Parkinson’s disease research and on updating education about the disease. Twice a year, the council will meet in person in New York, where they will sit down and discuss issues in person. “For two days, we will sit down and talk non-stop,” she said. “It’s something to look forward to.”

Muralidhar has spent the years since her diagnosis studying Parkinson’s disease extensively, she said. “I found the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation online, and it provided me with lots of information, which is impressive to people with a scientific background like myself,” said Muralidhar.

Muralidhar said she’s found purpose in helping others through the PDF and through her advocacy. “You need to manage your life,” she said. “More importantly, if you can find a purpose to help others, you can have a pretty satisfying life.”

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