Focus
- Health services and health promotion
- Policy and advocacy
- Services for people with disabilities
- Young people / youth work
Interest
- Development of education and training materials and programmes
- Policy, advocacy and campaigns
- Research
- Technological innovation
- Scientific innovation
- Governance
- European learning networks and exchanges
- Digitalization
EU Project Experience
No experience
EU Funding Goals
Early Onset Parkinson’s Disease Ireland (EOPD.ie) is a national, volunteer-led charity founded and led by people living with Early Onset Parkinson’s.
We support individuals diagnosed before age 60 through networking support, advocacy, awareness-raising, and promoting access to exercise, research, and practical resources.
Exercise and wellbeing: We sponsor Parkinson’s-specific exercise classes nationwide, providing funding to launch and sustain these programmes, and maintain an up-to-date directory of all Parkinson’s exercise classes across Ireland and online. In partnership with the University of Limerick, we deliver online physiotherapist-led classes, which have benefitted 30+ participants in 2025.
Community engagement: We host social events, meetups, and webinars with neurologists, and run social media campaigns aimed at addressing stigma and raising awareness about Early Onset Parkinson’s.
Research and education: We connect members with research opportunities and provide interactive sessions and Q&As with neurologists and experts.
Advocacy and policy engagement: We are actively engaging with the Department of Health and TDs to advocate for tax rebates for gym memberships, recognising the critical role of exercise in slowing disease progression and improving quality of life for people living with Early Onset Parkinson’s.
Through these activities, EOPD.ie strengthens community, reduces stigma, improves access to tailored services, and empowers people with Early Onset Parkinson’s to maintain quality of life and wellbeing.
Strenghts
We have expertise, in delivering multinational projects, we have partnership with the Department on Health, We have advocated and secured €300 thousand in funding for resources to deliver advanced treatment in Ireland. We have a strong volunteer team.
