It has been almost four years since I was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson's Disease, and these last few years have been incredibly challenging for me. Currently, my biggest issue is difficulty walking. Both in spite of that -- and because of it -- I have begun training for this year's NYC Marathon. Because of the Parkinson's, I currently move very slowly and inefficiently; assuming I am able to complete the training without injury, it will likely take me more than 8 hours to cross the finish line of the Marathon!

Still, I think the effort is worth it. Lifestyle interventions, and exercise in particular, are the only tools we currently have to stem the progression of PD. Research has shown that exercise can relieve some of the motor symptoms of PD and likely also has neuroprotective effects, helping people with PD to maintain balance and mobility, and possibly slowing the progression of the disease.

I would love it if you would support my hard work by donating to The Cure Parkinson's Trust. Since its inception in 2005, The Cure Parkinson's Trust (CPT) has challenged the view that there is no cure for Parkinson's (PD). Their mission is to find disease-modifying treatments which slow, stop or even reverse Parkinson's. Much of their drive is focused on developing new treatments that will reach people living with Parkinson’s within a five year period.

Parkinson's (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects both voluntary and involuntary movement, balance, gait, cognition, vision -- pretty much every part of the body and every possible bodily function. People with Parkinson's may experience tremor, slowness of movement, rigidity and muscle pain, difficulty walking or even standing, issues with posture, difficulty with executive functioning, choking, drooling, hallucinations, constipation, urinary urgency or incontinence, dizziness or vertigo, difficulty with activities of daily living...The list goes on and on and on. There are literally hundreds of different Parkinson's symptoms, and every single person experiences the illness in a unique way, making treatment and research incredibly challenging.

Worldwide, more than 10 million people are living with Parkinson's disease. It is estimated that about 4% of those are diagnosed before the age of 50. While there are some drugs and surgical options to help manage the symptoms of PD, many of them have terrible risks and side effects, and all become significantly less effective over time, as the disease progresses. Currently, there is no known cure for PD, and no pharmaceutical option to slow the progression of illness. While Parkinson’s itself is not considered fatal, disease complications can be serious. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rated complications from PD as the 14th cause of death in the United States.

Won't you please consider a donation to the Cure Parkinson's Trust? Whatever you can afford is wonderful... Any amount helps!

Much love and gratitude to each of you,

Liz