Parkinson’s disease is now the fastest-growing neurological condition in the world, with global cases projected to more than double, from roughly 11.9 million in 2021 to 25.2 million by 2050, and Asia is set to carry the heaviest share of that burden, with the highest prevalence rates of any region. As diagnoses climb across the region, the need for accessible, evidence-based rehabilitation care has never been more urgent.
Because of this growing need, on July 17-18, 2026, for the first time ever, LSVT BIG® Training and Certification was offered in-person in Southeast Asia, and the response exceeded every expectation.
Forty-six physiotherapists and occupational therapists traveled from across Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore, to become certified in this evidence-based treatment for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and other neurological conditions. By the end of the two days, they left as newly certified LSVT BIG clinicians, ready to bring this treatment back to their communities.
A Course Built on Local Vision
This course didn’t happen by chance. It happened because one therapist decided the region needed more LSVT BIG certified therapists.
Just two years ago, Ying Ying Chua became LSVT BIG certified through the fully online training course. As she began using the treatment with her own patients, she saw firsthand the difference it made. Improved movement, renewed confidence, greater independence.
Quickly word got out about the success patients were seeing with LSVT BIG, and she realized that the demand for this treatment became greater than she could manage herself. She wanted more therapists in her country to become certified in LSVT BIG so that more patients could receive these same life-changing results.
This interest grew into a collaborative effort between Ying, LSVT Global, the Kuching Parkinson’s Society, and the Laila Stroke Care Centre to make this training and certification possible in Kuching, Malaysia. Ying didn’t just have the vision, she did the work to make it real, coordinating locally to bring international faculty, local therapists, and volunteers with PD together in one room for the first time.
Made Possible by Local Partners
A course of this scale doesn’t come together without generous partners on the ground, and this one had two.
The Kuching Parkinson’s Society (KPS), supported the course by providing the venue and catering for all 46 participants across both days of training and inviting volunteers with PD to participate in the practice session on the second day of the course. KPS was founded by Mdm Mary Lu, who was diagnosed with young onset Parkinson’s in her 40s and has since made it her mission to improve resources and care for people with PD in Kuching. Her vision, and the support of KPS, gave the course a home, made sure every therapist in the room could focus fully on learning, and gave people living with Parkinson’s a taste of what LSVT BIG therapy could do for them.
We’re also deeply grateful to the Laila Stroke Care Centre, whose partnership and support were instrumental in bringing this course to life.
Together, KPS and Laila Stroke Care Centre didn’t just host an event. They helped lay the foundation for neurorehabilitation care across an entire region.
Volunteers with PD at the Heart of the Training
What made this course especially meaningful was who showed up on day two: 18 volunteers with PD who gave their time to practice LSVT BIG alongside the therapists in training. Some of these volunteers didn’t just show up locally, they flew in to be part of it, choosing to make the journey because they believed in what this course could mean for people like them. Thank you to the Sibu Parkinson’s Society for making the journey.
Having people with PD in the room transformed the training from theory into practice. Therapists weren’t just learning technique. They were seeing, in real time, the difference this treatment can make in someone’s ability to move with confidence.
International Faculty, Local Connection
LSVT Global faculty Laura Guse’, MPT and Jenny Tuccitto, MPT, GCS traveled to Kuching to lead the course, bringing their expertise in neurorehabilitation and Parkinson’s care to a brand-new region.
Beyond the classroom, they had the chance to explore Kuching with Ying and Jean from KPS as their local hosts, including a visit to see the Bornean orangutans at Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, a visit to the Permai rainforest to see monkeys in the wild, plus wonderful Malaysian food and culture along the way. What started as a professional visit turned into new friendships built across countries and continents.
Welcoming a New Chapter for Southeast Asia
With this course, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines each now have a growing community of LSVT BIG certified therapists ready to treat people with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions using this proven approach.
To every therapist who attended, to every volunteer who showed up, and to Ying Chua, Jean Voon, Christina Ting, Easter Sim, Mary Lu, the Kuching Parkinson Society, and the Laila Stroke Care Centre who made it all possible: thank you! This course wasn’t just a training. It was the start of something bigger for neurorehabilitation across Southeast Asia.
Welcome to the global LSVT BIG family!
Learn more about LSVT BIG Training and Certification Options.
