5KforJK is a patient-led non-profit that is passionate about helping people with Parkinson's live their best lives today!
Help us reach our 2024 Goal:
$200,000
All contributions will help our efforts to empower patients to take control of their journey!
Our Purpose
Newly diagnosed Parkinson’s patients are often given medication and little guidance beyond that, leaving them with questions, depression, and uncertainty. As a Parkinson’s patient herself, the co-founder of the 5KforJK nonprofit understands these challenges and is dedicated to helping others with Parkinson’s improve their quality of life by providing education and exercise opportunities. Through these efforts, the 5KforJK aims to reduce fear and empower patients to take control of their journey with Parkinson’s.
What We Know
Although medications are important for managing Parkinson’s disease, many patients may not realize the equally critical roles that exercise and joining a Parkinson’s community can play in their overall well-being and journey towards a better quality of life.
Our Goal
The 5KforJK nonprofit started as a walk for 1 and quickly turned into a non-profit organization for 1 million. There are 1 million people in the U.S. living with Parkinson’s. The 5KforJK non-profit wants to reduce fear of the unknown and empower patients to take control of their journey!
Our Impact
The 5KforJK nonprofit is dedicated to events and initiatives that impact lives, build a community, and benefit patients with Parkinson’s through education and exercise. Here’s some of what we do:
Our Results
The 5KforJK
Our namesake 5K started in 2021 as a walk in honor of 5KforJK co-founder Jessica Krauser, who was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease (YOPD) at the age of 37. This inaugural event was joined by 500 participants and inspired us to keep going and do more.
Held every September near Columbus, OH, our annual 5K walk has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Parkinson’s awareness and research – and we’re just getting started.
The Secret Life of Parkinson's Podcast
Our podcast led by two people living with Parkinson’s talking about everyday life garners 350K impressions and 40K views each month with listeners from 40 different countries.
The First Step Set
Our Parkinson’s Kit was created for people diagnosed with PD and was designed with input from dozens of Parkinson’s patients on the items, info, and encouragement they wished they’d received when they were diagnosed and what they’ve learned since. The most important “item” in these kits for new Parkinson’s patients is the knowledge that they’re not isolated and alone – they’re now part of a larger PD community.
So far, we’ve assembled and distributed over 600 kits to people living with Parkinson’s across the U.S.
Exercise is Medicine
To pursue our goals of promoting exercise and building a community, we sponsor Parkinson’s fitness classes and assist dozens of PD patients with trial memberships at Columbus-area gyms like PDNextSteps.
Michael J fox Foundation
After donating $200k in just 3 years and promoting the MJFF for Parkinson’s research on our podcast and across social media, we were honored to receive the Michael J Fox Foundation’s Hero of Research Award in 2022.
The 5KforJK nonprofit started as a walk for 1 and quickly turned into a non-profit organization for 1 million. There are 1 million people in the U.S. living with Parkinson’s, 90,000 are diagnosed each year. The 5KforJK nonprofit wants to reduce fear of the unknown and empower patients to take control of their journey!
save the date!
Date and Time:
Sunday, October 8, 2023
Pre-event festivities begin at 12:00PM
The walk begins at 1PM
Location:
Olentangy Liberty Middle School
7940 Liberty Rd,
Powell, OH 43065
In just two years, we raised over $220k! We applied $186k to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and $34k to assist Parkinson’s patients locally. We will be walking a 5K again in Powell, Ohio, on Sunday, October 8, 2023 where we will raise money for MJF Foundation and for people living with Parkinson’s.
Help a loved one live their best life today.
As the second most common neurological disorder, more than ten million people worldwide live with Parkinson’s today. In the United States, approximately 60,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year alone. There is no known cure.
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