Dream. Believe. Achieve. Succeed. This is my mantra. I have these words mounted above a window in my home. I live by these words, even more so now, since I have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

I am someone who dreams big, sets goals, puts a plan in place to achieve those goals and then works her tail off to ensure those dreams come true! With Parkinson’s, I’ve had to become more flexible, adjusting and modifying my goals and making changes as necessary.

Being a runner/walker all my life naturally led to some lofty goals. One example is my dream to complete a marathon (yup, that’s 26.2 miles) in all 50 states. About halfway through my journey, after finishing the Oh Boy Marathon in Connecticut, I caught a red eye to Los Angeles.

I arrived just in time for a quick shower followed by an intense shareholders meeting — in which I played an essential role as Chief Financial Officer. Walking (more like staggering) to the hotel after that meeting I noticed a slight tremor in my left hand. It was easy to write it off as stress or exhaustion from the previous day’s events. 

A few more tremors, a couple of doctor visits later, and a DaTscan resulted in my PD diagnosis shortly thereafter. My goal to complete a marathon in 50 states did not change but I knew I would have to work harder to make it happen. 

I found that out during a race around mile 20 when my gait and balance started to suffer. Other concerned racers asked if I needed help or medical attention. I thanked them for their concern and said, “This is what Parkinson’s looks like; help us find a cure.”

I made a shirt that says, “50 States Countdown Fighting Parkinson’s 1 mile at a time.” Now, when I wear it, people come up to me and say, “You’re such an Inspiration” or “I can’t believe you’re doing this” or “My Dad/Aunt/Brother/Friend…has PD, can I tell them your story?”

One of the reasons I joined Parkinson’s Champions is to team up with other athletes with PD and be part of a louder voice in raising awareness and advancements in the dream to end Parkinson’s.

For the past several years I’ve been doing everything I can to fight off Parkinson’s. In addition to putting in the long training miles needed for the marathons, I’ve added cycling classes, lap swimming, and line dancing to my exercise regime.  

Through the Parkinson’s Foundation I’ve found a Rock Steady Boxing gym, ping pong tournaments and the annual Sole Support Walk that I participate in. My physical therapist uses the tag line “Exercise is Medicine” and we both believe that my rigorous workouts have helped me keep my Parkinson’s symptoms at bay.

Now I can say I am fully living my mantra Dream. Believe. Achieve. Succeed. I never lost sight of the dream! I firmly believed I could complete 50 marathons in 50 states. I achieved my goal, and on September 22, 2024, I succeeded in completing the Adirondack Marathon in NY with family, friends and a few hundred cheering fans to help me celebrate.

But the dream does not stop here. I will continue to fight Parkinson’s with everything in me, while doing my best to encourage and inspire others to do the same.

Learn more about becoming a Parkinson’s Champion.

Once upon a time, I started noticing a slight tremor in my right hand. My husband noticed that I did not move my right arm when jogging. I also suffered from frozen shoulder(s), insomnia, constipation, anxiety and fatigue for years.

Doctors continuously told me it was menopause related. Over time, the tremor became more noticeable, and my doctor suggested I see a neurologist, just to “be safe.”

I met with a movement disorders specialist — a neurologist with specialized training in movement disorders — and on November 11, 2015, she confirmed the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). I will never forget that day. I was devastated and frightened.

At the suggestion of the movement disorder specialist, I signed up for the local young-onset Parkinson’s disease (YOPD) support group. I went to the first meeting and cried seeing how PD affects people. I cried every time I had to tell someone about the diagnosis. I cried thinking about how life had changed. I cried all the time. Through all this turmoil, my neurologist promised me that life was not over, but I had to take control, no matter how hard it got.

So, we took control. We retired early and moved to Florida. It is here that I signed up for Rock Steady Boxing. I am a fighter and have met the most amazing people at Rock Steady Boxing. I also attend spin classes and Pilates as part of my personal goal to keep on moving! It still felt like there was more I could do to change the trajectory of my life. Yep, there sure was. Enter Parkinson’s Foundation.

I connected with the Parkinson’s Foundation through Moving Day Chicago (my hometown). When we moved to Florida, I attended Moving Day Boca Raton and Palm Beach. I signed up for PD GENEration and three other clinical studies. I attended Foundation-sponsored seminars, which is where I met Karen Lopez and became involved in the local chapter.

Today I am a Parkinson’s Foundation Ambassador, a Board Member on the Fund Development team, and I was honored to be the Chair of a successful Moving Day Palm Beach 2024. I have also been part of our Regional Grant Review team for the past two years and I sign up for every relevant clinical trial.

I really enjoy volunteering. I see it as another way to celebrate movement. I move my brain cells around; I motivate my soul to do good things; and volunteering moves forward the search for a cure. Volunteering is really the most effective way to use one’s voice. Being awarded the Parkinson’s Foundation Community Service Award is the ultimate recognition of how important it is to advocate for ourselves and others affected by PD.

PD has changed my life. I am married to a host of medications governed by a time clock, and I deal with nasty and unpredictable symptoms, and it is truly humbling! However, living with Parkinson’s is also a true blessing in that it has given me the gift of friendship, support and has shown me the way to help advocate for others.

Explore the many ways to volunteer with the Parkinson’s Foundation. Fill out our volunteer interest form today.

“You don’t look like Parkinson’s.” That’s what the second neurologist told me, after the first simply asked “Have you ever thought about Parkinson’s?” I can honestly say up to that point, I never thought about Parkinson’s disease (PD). Ever. 

As a 47-year-old mother of two elementary school children, working full-time as a hospital administrator during a global pandemic, the idea of Parkinson’s seemed impossible.

I was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease in 2023, officially. So, I did what any mom would do, I started posting about Parkinson’s on TikTok. Weird right? But that is where I met lots of amazing people just like me. Friends and mentors, who showed me that there is life with YOPD.

One of them, Mark Millow, suggested I volunteer with the Parkinson’s Foundation.  I jumped at the chance to channel my enthusiasm with educating myself and others about the disease on social media, to something more tangible.

Shortly after completing my Parkinson’s Foundation ambassador training, I was appointed to Southwest Chapter board. It was at this time I decided to leave my career behind and focus on volunteering and spending more time with my family.

Along the way I have learned that there are many things, tips and tricks that the people who live the best with this disease share: exercise, positive thinking, being around others like themselves and giving back. The Parkinson’s Foundation is a great way to give back.

I have a loving husband, amazing kids and live one day at a time. There is a lot to be grateful for. Gratitude is another secret weapon in fighting Parkinson’s.

I don’t care about small things anymore. Parkinson’s changed my priorities in many ways. It reminds you what is important in life. Friends, family, time spent outdoors, good food and lots of adventures — because no one knows what the future holds.

I love to travel and make magical memories with my kids before they become teenagers and don’t think I’m cool anymore. But they are very impressed when one of my social media posts goes viral.

I’m not grateful for Parkinson’s, but I do appreciate some of the things that came with it. I hate the disease, but I love the people with it.

Explore the many ways to volunteer with the Parkinson’s Foundation. Fill out our volunteer interest form today.