May Is PSP Awareness Month 
A message from Tim Brown

 
Each May, I’m reminded how powerful awareness can be — not just for education, but for compassion, understanding, and community. May is PSP Awareness Month, a time dedicated to shining a light on two rare and life-limiting neurodegenerative diseases: Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD). 

These conditions belong to a group known as Atypical Parkinsonisms — diseases that, in the early years, can look very much like Parkinson’s disease. Many people begin their journey with a Parkinson’s diagnosis, only to learn later that the underlying condition is something far more complex. PSP and CBD affect balance, movement, speech, swallowing, and cognition. They are progressive, and at this time, there is no treatment and no cure. 

What we do have, and what has improved since my own diagnosis in 2014 is better symptom management, better understanding, and a growing community of caregivers, clinicians, advocates, and families who refuse to let these diseases remain in the shadows. 

This May also marks the eleventh year of the PSP–CBD Ice Cream Challenge, an awareness campaign I created to bring people together in a simple, joyful way. The idea is easy: enjoy some ice cream, take a photo, and share it across social media including the PSP & CBD Ice Cream Challenge Facebook page. A small act, but one that opens conversations, spreads awareness, and reminds families affected by these diseases that they are not alone. 
Awareness doesn’t cure disease — but it does something almost as important. It builds connection. It sparks compassion. It helps families feel seen. And it moves us closer to the day when research catches up with need. 

Thank you for taking a moment this month to learn, to share, or simply to hold space for those living with PSP, CBD, and other Atypical Parkinsonisms. Your awareness truly matters. To learn more about PSP and other Atypical Parkinsonisms visit Coleen Cunningham Foundation for PSP Awareness.