Reimagining Parkinson's Care and Research
How the Humphreys Family Movement Disorder Clinic is transforming care across the Interior
The last great frontier of science is the brain.
While this statement holds a beautiful promise, it also contains a hard truth for physicians. Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease are complex, unpredictable, and affect nearly every part of daily life.
Across the Southern Interior, thousands of individuals and families live with the disease, and cases are expected to rise 50% over the next decade, yet highly specialized treatment is normally only found in larger centres.
Thanks to donors and passionate local leaders, this is changing.
With a vision to transform care for those living with Parkinson’s disease, Neurologist and Movement Disorder Specialist, Dr. Daryl Wile, established the Okanagan Movement Disorder Clinic when he moved to Kelowna in 2015. What began as a much-needed specialist clinic has now grown into a leading regional hub for innovation, research, collaboration, and compassionate, patient-centred care.
In 2024, a transformative $1 million commitment from the Humphreys family helped expand and reimagine the clinic as the Humphreys Family Movement Disorder Clinic (the Clinic) at KGH.
“I am incredibly grateful to the Humphreys and the community,” shares Dr. Wile. “Their support has allowed us to evolve our clinical and research capabilities, recruit more team members, and help more patients access specialized care.”
Donors are truly helping drive the future of Parkinson’s care here in our region.
residents in the Interior Health region live with Parkinson's Disease
new Parkinson's diagnoses annually in BC
That future is already taking shape.
Perhaps the most exciting addition made possible through philanthropy is the recruitment of Movement Disorder Specialist, and highly published researcher, Dr. Talyta Cortez Grippe. Moving from Toronto, Dr. Grippe is among the few researchers exploring electrophysiology for movement disorders, specialized work previously available only in larger centres.
Through the donor funded EVOLVE Award (Encouraging and Valuing Ongoing Leadership, Vision, and Engagement), Dr. Grippe has protected research time for two-years to support program development, mentorship, quality improvement, and collaboration with the Clinic’s multidisciplinary team and health authority partners. The rest of her role is dedicated to clinical care, helping address the Clinic’s 800-person waitlist.
Her decision to come to Kelowna was rooted in the rare opportunity to advance her research while still caring directly for patients. A combination she believes yields much better results for both the scientific and human sides of her work.
“We are extremely grateful to have Dr. Grippe’s renowned expertise, unique perspective, and energy on our team,” shares Dr. Wile. “She brings such innovative and fresh ideas to our Clinic and has truly reenergized our team, but we could not have recruited her if it weren’t for donor support.”
The Clinic is also partnering with the Jim Pattison Centre for Health Systems Learning + Innovation (the Centre) to strengthen brain health care across the region. Through the Centre, Dr. Monique Walsh has been contracted for her expertise in connecting clinicians, researchers, health authorities, and community partners—helping turn promising ideas into real-world solutions for Parkinson’s patients across the region.
Connections are already taking shape with Dr. Robin Bessemer in Kamloops. Together, the teams will share knowledge, strengthen referral pathways, and build a more connected network of care across the Interior.
Both Dr. Wile and Dr. Grippe are also strengthening ties with UBC through Clinical Faculty Appointments and collaborative research. With newly acquired neurophysiology sensors, the Clinic is now better equipped to conduct movement disorders research.
To enhance the work of the Clinic, cutting edge equipment has also been funded by KGH Foundation donors. One example is the addition of a state-of-theart Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Voice and Swallowing (FEEVS) machine, which allows the Clinic’s Speech- Language Pathologist to assess swallowing and vocal function onsite. For those living with Parkinson’s, these functions are critical to safety and independence. Previously, patients often waited six to eight months for similar testing elsewhere but now, assessments can be completed much sooner, reducing wait times and improving access to care.
The Humphreys family’s $1 million matching commitment continues to amplify the impact of community generosity. With continued momentum, donors are helping more talent to be recruited, more connections to be developed, and more patients to be treated.
Today, the Humphreys Family Movement Disorder Clinic is emerging as a recognized leader in Parkinson’s innovation.
The brain may be the last frontier, but thanks to donor generosity, more of that frontier is being explored right here at home. Together, we are gaining traction and building a future where high quality Parkinson’s care is more accessible, more connected, and more hopeful than ever.
