I’m Benjamin ‘B.J.’ Bement. I was diagnosed with PD in October 2013 at the age of 44. 

I was employed at a chemical plant for 18 years. Leading up to my initial symptoms I had taken three rounds of strong steroids in 2012 in response to three health issues that include a pinched cervical nerve with neuropathy, severe bronchitis and an adverse reaction to blood pressure medication. I left work on New Year’s weekend unaware I would not be returning.

After the hives and swelling abated, my energy and stamina did not return. My fatigue grew worse. I could not walk more than 100 yards without feeling like I would collapse. I stabilized myself with a cane or hanging onto a shopping cart at the store. I was too weak to pass the pulmonary test to resume work. 

I started an aggressive search for answers. Over the next 10 months, I would see 14 different specialists and make more than 100 visits to doctors’ offices or labs. I wouldn’t take, “I don’t know” for an answer. 

My general practitioner took 14 vials of blood to conduct every test he could think of. They all came back negative. My cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and everything else were okay for a man of my size.

About five months later, I picked up a CD, splaying my fingers out to grip the wide plastic case. My hand started wavering backward and forward. I immediately thought it was probably something neurological.

It took a couple of months to see a general neurologist. He pursued multiple sclerosis tests, which came back negative. He referred me to a movement disorders specialist (MDS) [a neurologist with specialized training], who ordered a DaTscan to ‘rule out Parkinson’s,’ but it was positive. 

The MDS placed me on carbidopa/levodopa, which resulted in immediate improvement, confirming the Parkinson’s disease (PD) diagnosis. I was put on short term, then long term disability. Although I had good benefits, they wouldn’t last forever, so I hired a lawyer to handle my Social Security filing. 

I entered the holiday season of 2013 without a path forward. I had a four-month pity party mourning the loss of my past life. After the last holiday and the last football game, I had nothing else to distract me.

I began to search online for answers. I stumbled across a support group on Facebook and commented on some posts. A wonderful person named Michelle Lane replied and invited me to Washington D.C. for a Parkinson’s Action Network conference and Hill Day. I had no idea what to expect and was scared to meet people who were further along than me. 

After I arrived, I saw there was nothing to worry about. Over the next three days I saw many people with more advanced symptoms being extremely passionate, active and hopeful. This began my advocacy journey. 

I have since worked with many organizations and committees. I am in my third year of serving on the People with Parkinson’s Advisory Council for the Parkinson’s Foundation, my first year on the newly formed Gulf Coast Chapter Board, and my fourth year as chair of Moving Day Baton Rouge.

I have many ideas that I would love to see take life. Although I have been in advocacy for almost 10 solid years, I feel I am just getting started.

I could not make this journey without my awesome wife Kelly, my family, my church family, my local PD support group members, and the Parkinson’s Foundation staff.  Here’s to another 10 years of new beginnings.

Benjamin is a Parkinson’s Foundation volunteer who received our Community Service Award in 2023. Meet our top volunteers and explore ways to get involved today.

In 2021, I was diagnosed with Young-Onset Parkinson’s Disease (YOPD) — a form of Parkinson’s that affects people 50 and under. What began as a devastating and isolating diagnosis has transformed into my life’s mission: to educate, advocate and inspire others navigating life with Parkinson’s.

My journey didn’t start with inspiration — it started with fear, grief and questions like, “Why me?” But through connection with the Parkinson’s community, I discovered strength, purpose and hope. Sharing my story online became my therapy and, eventually, my platform. Today, I’m proud to use my voice to empower others, dismantle stigma and create meaningful conversations around Parkinson’s disease.

I built a thriving social media presence on TikTok and Instagram, where I share raw, real, and educational content about Parkinson’s. This advocacy has opened doors for me to serve as a Parkinson’s Foundation Ambassador, a Southwest Chapter Advisory Board Member, and a People with Parkinson’s Advisory Council (PPAC) member. These roles have deepened my commitment to creating community and pushing for progress in Parkinson’s care, support and awareness.

Beyond advocacy, I’ve turned my story into a platform for motivation and education:

• Public Speaking and Training: Delivering keynote speeches, workshops and motivational talks on resilience, advocacy and navigating life-changing diagnoses — even infusing a little humor in along the way.

• Podcast Host: Creator of The Mark In The Park Podcast — available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music and YouTube — where I dive deep into life with Parkinson’s.

• Founder: Creator of MarkInThePark21.com, a resource hub for individuals and families impacted by Parkinson’s.

For me, advocacy is more than raising awareness — it’s about turning pain into purpose. My goal is to make Parkinson’s visible, relatable and hopeful, and to remind others that life after diagnosis is not over. It’s simply a new chapter.

Mark is a Parkinson’s Foundation volunteer who received our Rising Star Award in 2023. Meet our top volunteers and explore ways to get involved today.

On a Thursday evening in March 2007, one of my clients called and asked if I could travel from my home in Florida and be in California by noon the following day. He assured me that I would be home four days later.

As it turned out, I returned home six weeks later having closed one of the most complicated, contentious and stressful transactions of my legal career. By the time I finally made it back to Miami, FL, I realized that I had lost the ability to write my name and typing was all but impossible.

After seeing my general practitioner and an orthopedic doctor, I found myself at a neurologist. When the neurologist asked, “What can I do for you today”? I just laughed and I said “I think I have that disease — carpal tunnel syndrome.” He laughed back and said, “You have Parkinson’s disease.” He put the medication Azilect in my hand and said “Take this and if it works, then we will know that I am right.”

Little did I know that that was to be the beginning of this adventure that 16 years later I know to be Parkinson’s disease (PD).

I had heard about Parkinson’s disease, but no one in my family had it. In fact, I didn’t know anyone who had Parkinson’s disease. Thankfully, I didn’t have the crushing depression or debilitating anger that many people experience upon being diagnosed. I suspect that I didn’t know better, but I acknowledge that those reactions are real and must be addressed early in the diagnosis.

That’s where a referral to the Parkinson’s Foundation can be life changing. Through its initiative for those newly diagnosed, the Foundation fills the void of critical information most people with PD lack regarding their recent diagnosis. Often times, the diagnosing physician is too busy to provide a sufficient explanation on how to live a quality life with Parkinson’s disease.

Shortly after I was diagnosed, I was introduced to the Parkinson’s Foundation. My wife and I were invited to participate in a weeklong retreat for those newly diagnosed and their care partners. There, my wife and I became yoga fanatics. It was that introduction by the Foundation to the power of exercise in the fight against Parkinson’s that forever changed the trajectory of the disease for me.

Since my first encounter, I have been continuously engaged with the Foundation. I have participated in virtually every Moving Day Miami. I’ve spoken on behalf of the Foundation at many events.

It was that early introduction to the Parkinson’s Foundation, however, and their vast resources of information and support, as well as an incredible community of like-minded people, that really attracted me to the Parkinson’s Foundation. The mission of the Foundation to make life better today for people living with Parkinson’s all while advancing research toward a cure really resonates with me.

I have spent the last several months traveling across the country with my friend, Scott Rider, filming a documentary for a project titled Parkinson’s Across America. Our hope is to provide an informative, yet personal look at what it means to be living with Parkinson’s and to remind people that they can live long and productive lives despite their diagnosis.

While many of the people I have met share stories that include aspects of tremendous heartbreak and difficulty, each offers incredible hope and encouragement to those of us in the Parkinson’s community. One of the common sentiments that resonates so clearly with me is that, despite the difficulty that people living with Parkinson’s disease cope with every day, there is an incredible sense of gratitude for people, like the people at the Parkinson’s Foundation, who make it their life’s work helping people with Parkinson’s live better lives today.

The people of the Parkinson’s Foundation share a passion and commitment for making life better for people living with Parkinson’s that is unrivaled. Without a doubt, they are changing lives. I’m here to tell you that they certainly have changed my life and, for that, I am eternally grateful.

To be associated with an organization that is truly making a difference in people’s lives every day is an honor and a privilege. I am sincerely honored and humbled to be selected as the Paul Oreffice Volunteer of the Year.

Jim is a Parkinson’s Foundation volunteer who received our Paul Oreffice Volunteer of the Year Award in 2023. Meet  our top volunteers and explore ways to get involved today.