My PD Story

I’m Kathy Maiers, a retired neurosurgical nurse, an ambassador, a volunteer, an athlete, a wife, a grandmother, and yes, someone living with Parkinson’s disease (PD). In other words, PD hasn’t slowed me down and I don’t plan on letting it anytime soon.  

My diagnosis came in 2018, but I started noticing all the symptoms years before. You name it: slowness of movement, rigidity, a tremor, all of them. Getting diagnosed was difficult, and it definitely took some persuasion from my loved ones to get tested. However, once I was, I knew I could use my expertise and drive to help others. I did just that.  

I love education. I used to teach people before their neurosurgical surgeries and follow them postoperatively. I guess teaching and doing tasks fell into place very perfectly for me. That’s why I love being a Parkinson’s Foundation Ambassador, volunteering whenever I can.  

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about PD, it’s that you need to start exercising. It’s the only thing that can slow the disease down. Exercise is a huge part of my life. I call it my part-time job. I’ve been a part of Lakeville Title Boxing for the past seven years and took up biking in 2023. It’s helped every step of the way.  

Getting exercise in can be hard, and that’s why I love my boxing group. In all honesty, it’s very rewarding. It’s a hard workout and we get our butts kicked, but it's an unbelievable support group. We really welcome everyone. We have a few members out of our 30 total with cancer, dystonia, etc., but at the end of the day we’re a community. If you’re even considering it, I couldn’t recommend it more.  

As an ambassador, I really try to teach people that you need to learn your personal diagnosis — how this disease impacts you.  

It's a very complex disease and everybody is so different. When people share the same symptoms with others, they think they have it figured out. But no, we always say that if you meet one person with Parkinson’s… you meet one person with Parkinson’s.  

You also have to be prepared to fight for yourself, especially in a hospital. I talk about this all the time through the Parkinson’s Foundation hospital safety initiative, because even taking your medicine more than 15 minutes late can cause a world of harm. Once you figure out your medicine, you tell hospital staff and who is boss. People with PD are far more likely to end up in a hospital, and you have to be ready to meet your needs anywhere. (Learn more about how to stay safe during a hospitalization with Parkinson’s). 

So, if you take away anything from my story, it's this: PD isn’t the end of your life, it really can be the beginning. Hey, just look at me! I still spend time with my three grandchildren, I’m a small group leader for Bible Study Fellowship, I sew for non-profits through my church, and I make time for me. Remember to support others, and really support yourself. Hope to see you at boxing soon!  

Explore how you can become a Parkinson’s Foundation volunteer today.