Nikla Lancksweert, 44, a former journalist and diplomat has recently joined the Demoucelle Parkinson Charity team to help with communications and outreach.

The mother of four girls has experience working for a large foundation in the United States, helping her local community achieve a significant fundraising goal and creating a playground and garden at children’s hospital HUDERF in Jette. 

 



Why are you fundraising to help find a cure for Parkinson’s Disease?

Though I have no personal experience of family members or friends with Parkinson’s Disease, I know that neurodegenerative diseases – such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia – are on the rise and have a devastating impact on both the individual and their families. 

The number of Parkinson’s patients has doubled over the 25 years to 2015 and is expected to double again over the next 25 years to 13 to 14 million people worldwide in 2040. Parkinson’s is now the fasting growing neurological disorder and a leading cause of disability in the world. Experts are sounding alarm bells! They are trying to alert policy makers to this future ‘pandemic’ and the urgent need to limit the social, economic, human and emotional toll of this illness.

And yet, we still know so little about what causes it and how to treat, let alone cure, it! More research is urgently needed!

Tell us more about the fundraising you are doing?

I started working for the Demoucelle Parkinson Charity in January and am really happy to have joined at a time when the charity has set itself the goal of encouraging more people in Belgium to become active fundraisers and help find a cure for Parkinson’s Disease. From promoting corporate giving to organising a small garage sale, each of us can play a part in helping to fund vital research. I find that message very inspiring and empowering!

How can people support DPC and help raise money to find a cure?

By getting involved, in as small or big a way as they feel able. 😊

If everyone that has been impacted by Parkinson’s Disease – either directly as a patient, or indirectly as a family member, friend or colleague – decided to become an active volunteer, donor or fundraiser, they would represent a fearsome army ready to do battle with this disease!

You don’t need to organise a gala dinner (and in these Covid times, this is impossible anyway) to help as there are many, many ways you can contribute. Just some ideas are:

Doing any (or all  😊) of these will already helps significantly! And you will inspire others to feel that they can do something too! In that way, you will help to create a chain of motivated fundraisers!

How much does DPC hope to raise?

So far, DPC has raised 1 million euros and helped to fund eight research projects.  That is extraordinarily impressive for a small organisation and speaks volumes about the dedication of the board and volunteers and the generosity of corporate sponsors, and individual donors.  However, it’s not enough. We need to raise millions more.

Governments face many demands for taxpayers’ money and private pharmaceutical firms find early-stage research too risky, so charities such as DPC and the Michael J Fox Foundation are needed to bridge the funding gap. And those charities need funds!

Have you personally done any other fundraising – for Parkinson’s Disease or another charity?

I lived for a while in the United States and helped a community organisation there raise $3 million to build a new center and gardens. I did not stay long enough to see it open its’ doors unfortunately but I know that it has become a very treasured resource. 

In addition, following the death of my third daughter Lydia from a heart condition caused by a respiratory virus, I joined Kids Care asbl to raise 100.000 euros to create a playground at the Reine Fabiola children’s hospital (HUDERF) at Jette, where she spent much of her 10.5 months of life. The playground – Lydia’s Ludo – was opened in 2016, two years after she passed away. And work will begin this summer on creating a garden next to it, for which I have helped to raise a further 100.000 euros.  It is so rewarding to see children and families smiling and making memories away from the machines and harsh realities of the hospital.

What is something positive that fundraising has taught/given/shown you?

Oh, so, so much!! I have met wonderful and kind people. Fascinating people, from all walks of life, who share a common goal. It has given me such comfort in dark days to have a very real target to work towards and I have felt empowered when, quite honestly, it was a struggle just to get through the day. Being active in this way has enabled me to feel like I was more in control; that life was not pointless; to have hope!

What do you find the most challenging aspect of fundraising?

Personally, for me, the greatest challenge is event organisation. I can do it but I don’t really enjoy it! Thankfully, other people do so I am always more than happy to let someone else take the reins. Fundraising is teamwork, after all ! 😊

What kind of fundraising activities/events do you most enjoy?

Much as I dislike organising events, I do like volunteering at them and attending them. There is such a positive energy in those moments.  Everyone pulls together and helps each other.  Even on the (thankfully very few) occasions that the weather has not been good and we have stood in the rain and had only a few euros to show for our effort, we have laughed and smiled through the whole thing!

Which type of fundraising activities/events do you think work best?

There are just so many creative ways to raise funds for worthy causes. I am always amazed at how clever and inventive people are! Pancakes for Parkinson’s seems to be something that works very well in the US, for example, with TeamFox volunteers around the country setting up their own pancake events in their own communities.  Sporting events – like ‘Run for Parkinson’s’ – or individuals that set themselves challenges and find sponsors to support them – like the Stop Parkinson Walk – are also great fundraising activities.  People have organised concerts, knitted cuddly toys to sell at fairs, baked cupcakes and sold homemade lemonade. Whatever you like doing or are interested in could almost certainly be turned into a great fundraising opportunity.  If Captain Tom Moore can walk around his garden after his hip operations ahead of his 100th birthday in the UK to raise money for charity, then you can certainly let your imagination have free rein! The most important thing is to try!

What tips would you give to anyone else wanting to raise funds for DPC?

If you are wanting to raise money for DPC, then don’t hesitate to send us an email and we’ll be more than happy to chat with you, give you some ideas and help you. We can even provide you with a ‘mentor’ – an experienced DPC volunteer – to support you and be your sounding board.

What motto do you try to live by?

“There is no foot too small that it can not leave an imprint on this world.”