Dr. Baker practices in Sumter, SC and Camden, SC, and currently is with Colonial Neurology, part of Colonial Family Practice/Healthcare Neurologist, as well as the Medical Director/Supervising Physician with Colonial Aesthetics, and the South Carolina Medical Director/Supervising Physician with Palmetto Diagnostics. He graduated cum laude with honors from the South Carolina Honors College at the University of South Carolina with a BS Biology and then went on to earn his MD at the University of South Carolina Medical School. He completed his internship and residency at Duke University Medical Center. He holds significant medical licensures and board certifications in several neurological subspecialties, and serves on several committees. Topic - “Ongentys: Optimizing Your Parkinson’s Disease Treatment” Ongentys is a COMT inhibitor. COMT inhibitors can help when levodopa is not working for long enough and starts to wear off between doses. They can help to reduce your 'off' time, when you have more trouble with your Parkinson's symptoms, and increase the amount of 'on' time, when your symptoms are more controlled. Quick Facts: Catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) is a body enzyme. When a person takes levodopa, COMT can deactivate levodopa before it enters the brain and central nervous system; COMT inhibitors prevent this […]

Two of our Board members, Joy Kinney and Will Harmon, will be our speakers. Joy Kinney, MSR CCC-SLP Joy Kinney is a Speech-Language Pathologist specializing in the treatment of adults with neurological disorders, including communication, swallowing, and cognitive symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury, Stroke, Parkinson’s, and the after effects of COVID-19. She treats adult patients, and has worked in and directed therapy programs in skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities, as well as in the settings of home health, the acute care hospital, and outpatient therapy. She has presented at the national and state level regarding various treatment techniques, and she frequently discusses brain health during her treatment sessions. Ms Kinney is a member of the Board of Directors of the Columbia Parkinson's Support Group, and also a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She is fully licensed to practice Speech-Language Pathology in the states of South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia. Ms Kinney is a 2005 graduate of the Medical University of South Carolina with a Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders, and a 2003 graduate of Columbia College of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology. She holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language […]

Candy Waites is the founder and president of Seniors on the Move, the move management specialists, and is presently serving seniors in the Midlands. She has an extensive career in public service, among many positions being the president of the League of Women Voters of the Columbia area from 1973 to 1976. In 1976, she became the first woman elected to Richland County Council where she served for twelve years. In 1988 Waites was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives and served for three terms. She was instrumental in the passage of legislation dealing with the reform of campaign finances and ethics policy. She also served as Director of Community Leadership Programs at The Leadership Institute, Columbia College from which she retired in 2010 after a total of 14 years. For our March 16th meeting, Candy will present on “How to Downsize and Feel Good about it”. Her presentation will focus on why we need to downsize, we will go through a quiz to help you find what you need to get rid of, then Candy will give you some “how to” tips. Candy Yaghjian Waites has enjoyed moving between the political world and the art world all […]

Movement Class for Columbia Parkinson’s Support Group Monday, March 24, 2025 1:00 to 2:30 PM Lexington Medical Center I Auditorium 2728 Sunset Blvd. West Columbia, SC 29169 Important: Please register for this class. The parking is at a premium at Lexington Medical Park I during the workweek. Knowing our registration numbers will help us to let Lexington Medical Center know how many people may need help with getting from your car to the building if you have to park farther away. Please plan to arrive early so you have time to get to the building before class starts. Click to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/myevent?eid=1275195918319 Phone number to call for free transportation from your car to LMC I: (803) 936-3198. You can call that same number to get a ride back to your car after the class. This class offers a supportive space to explore the artistry of dance, ranging across the styles of ballet, jazz, modern, tap, and improvisation. In this class, we connect the mind to movement, inviting expression and exploration in where it may not have been before: moving the body in conjunction with others and with music, evoking creativity and connection. This program was built so everyone can experience […]

Our April 20, 2025 Meeting Is An Open Forum Meeting Parkinson's (PD) patients newly diagnosed (5 years or less) will be seated with PD patients who have more than 5 years of PD experience. Any guest (care partner, family member, neighbor, etc.) will also be seated with their PD patient. Anyone who is only interested in learning about PD will be scattered among the tables. To help us match attendees of different years of PD experience, when you sign in at the door, you will be asked one of the following questions: Are you a PD patient diagnosed 5 years or less? Are you a PD patient diagnosed more than 5 years ago? Are you not a patient or care partner, but just interested in learning about PD? Based on your answer, we will give you a slip of colored paper. By using the paper colors, one of our volunteers will seat you and your guests at a table. We understand that sitting at a table with strangers discussing personal topics may be uncomfortable, but please keep in mind that everyone at this meeting has an interest in learning how to live successfully with Parkinson's. To help start the table […]

PLEASE NOTE: We are required to have name tags issued for everyone for this event – it is a security issue for SCETV – if your name is not on the pre-registration list, we will not be allowed to admit you. Thanks for helping us comply with this security requirement. If you need help registering, call (803) 335-4247 or email contact@columbiaparkinsonsupportgroup.org. Columbia Parkinson’s Support Group 2025 Annual Free Patient/Care Partner Symposium Pre-registration is required – absolute deadline to register is Wednesday, April 30, 2025 Date: Saturday, May 3, 2025 Time: 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM – Attendee Sign-in opens at 8:30, program starts at 9:30 Location: SCETV – Murray Studio 1041 George Rogers Blvd. Columbia, SC 29201-4761 The Columbia Parkinson’s Support Group is pleased to host this free patient/care partner symposium in our 40th Year! Doors Open at 8:30 for check in. Continental breakfast will be available from 8:30 to 9:30 AM, and lunch will be available from 11:30 to 1:00 PM. We will have two sessions: Gentle Chair Yoga From 9:30 AM to 9:50 AM: Cindy Smith - Chair Yoga – will open our symposium Chair Yoga is a gentle form of exercise, is practiced sitting or standing using […]

The presentation will be about Vyalev, the first and only subcutaneous levodopa-based therapy. Replaces all oral carbidopa/levodopa and COMT inhibitors Drug/device combo that gives 24-hour continuous delivery of carbidopa/levodopa Gives patients superior “on” time vs. oral medication No surgical procedure required Our speaker will be Christina Mayo. Christina Mayo is an Account Executive with Abbvie Neuroscience based in Greenville SC. She received her BS in Biological Sciences at the University of South Carolina in 2010. Christina has been in the medical sales industry since 2010, specifically in the Parkinson’s Disease space since 2016. Contact: Christina N. Mayo, Parkinson’s Account Executive, South Carolina & S. Georgia AbbVie Neuroscience Office : 1 (864) 982-6940 EMAIL : christina.mayo@abbvie.com

Our support group historically does not meet in June, as the 3rd Sunday is Father’s Day. However, this year, our president, Karen Basso, has offered to be at our usual meeting location (Lexington Medical Park I Auditorium, 2728 Sunset Blvd., West Columbia, SC 29169) at 3 PM for anyone who might like to come and just talk with one another. This will not be structured, like our Open Forum meetings, it will simply be an opportunity for anyone who wishes to get together and talk about anything related to Parkinson’s Disease. We are very pleased to also let everyone know that Dr. Myriam J. Sollman, from Prisma Health Neurosurgery, has volunteered to join us that day. Dr. Sollman is a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist who specializes in aging and movement disorders. She obtained her doctorate from the University of Kentucky, completed a residency at the University of Florida, and postdoctoral fellowship at the Barrow Neurological Institute, which houses the Muhammad Ali Parkinson’s Center. She joined us here in Columbia 2017 from Wake Forest School of Medicine, where she built a neuropsychology program. Dr. Sollman’s research interests include movement disorders and memory disorders. She serves as a reviewer for several professional journals […]

Our July 20, 2025 Meeting Is An Open Forum Meeting Parkinson's (PD) patients newly diagnosed (5 years or less) will be seated with PD patients who have more than 5 years of PD experience. Any guest (care partner, family member, neighbor, etc.) will also be seated with their PD patient. Anyone who is only interested in learning about PD will be scattered among the tables. To help us match attendees of different years of PD experience, when you sign in at the door, you will be asked one of the following questions: Are you a PD patient diagnosed 5 years or less? Are you a PD patient diagnosed more than 5 years ago? Are you not a patient or care partner, but just interested in learning about PD? Based on your answer, we will give you slip of colored paper. By using the paper colors, one of our volunteers will seat you and your guests at a table. We understand that sitting at a table with strangers discussing personal topics may be uncomfortable, but please keep in mind that everyone at this meeting has an interest in learning how to live successfully with Parkinson's. To help start the table discussions, […]

Our main speaker for August 17, 2025 is Scott Cooke. Scott is the Communications and Public Information Director for the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) where he provides education on financial literacy topics and identity theft & scam prevention. Cooke joined SCDCA in October of 2021 as the agency’s Social Media and Web Strategist. He is an Emmy Award winner with more than 20 years of experience in broadcast journalism as a producer and newsroom manager. Cooke is a graduate from the University of South Carolina. Topic: Identity Theft and Scams: How to Stay Safe New scams are popping up every day and identity theft is costly and time consuming. Learn the red flags of a scam and the FREE ways to protect your information. With these tools, you won’t end up giving over your hard-earned money or your private information. Contact: Scott Cooke, Communications Director SC Department of Consumer Affairs 293 Greystone Blvd., Suite 400 Columbia, SC 29210 Toll free (800).922-1594 or (803) 734-4296 (direct) – (803) 413-8167 (cell) Second brief speaker (approx.15 minutes): Jamie Scott, owner, Jamie Scott Fitness – update on the specially designed exercise and education program for Parkinson’s patients.