Parkinson’s Looks Like Me Podcast

Welcome to the YOPN Podcast, where we are thrilled to bring you a special guest, Dr. Merlin Tuttle. Known as "Batman," Dr. Tuttle has dedicated over six decades to the study of bats. As seen on the Joe Rogan Experience and David Letterman, he joins us today to share his insights. Despite his diagnosis of Parkinson's, Dr. Tuttle continues to contribute valuable knowledge to the field.

During our conversation, Dr. Tuttle enlightens us on how bats excel at safeguarding our crops, surpassing the effectiveness of chemical solutions. He also delves into the topic of bat houses, shedding light on their significance and benefits. Drawing from his extensive experiences in the Amazon rainforest, he shares captivating stories and adventures.

Tune in to this episode as we explore these fascinating subjects and much more with the legendary Dr. Merlin Tuttle, a true authority on bats and their ecological importance.

To learn more about Dr. Tuttle go to https://www.merlintuttle.org/

The Young Onset Parkinson's Network (YOPN) Podcast is thrilled to present Lucy Jung, the CEO of Charco Neurotech (https://charconeurotech.com/)

Charco Neurotech is a medical technology company focused on improving the quality of life for individuals with Parkinson's disease. Their mission is to bring back smiles to those affected by the condition. Inspired by Professor Charcot's research on vibratory stimulation, they have developed the CUE1 device in collaboration with people with Parkinson's. By incorporating diverse skillsets and listening to the needs of the community, they aim to create simple, non-invasive technologies that can alleviate movement symptoms. The company, co-founded by Lucy Jung, values input from individuals with Parkinson's throughout the development process. Their goal is to provide innovative medical devices and software that enhance the well-being of those living with Parkinson's.

The YOPN Podcast is proud to present Mark Hasagawa-Johnson and Clarion Mendes as we discuss the Speech Accessibility Project

The Speech Accessibility Project aims to collect diverse speech samples to improve the representation of speech patterns in machine learning models. UIUC researchers will recruit paid volunteers to contribute recorded voice samples, creating a private dataset. This dataset will be used to train machine learning models and enhance their understanding of various speech patterns, starting with American English. By collaborating with multiple groups, the project seeks to accelerate the development of technologies that support communities with diverse speech patterns

The Speech Accessibility Project is now recruiting for participants with Parkinson's and related neurological conditions like MSA, PSP, and post-DBS. U.S. residents over the age of 18 are eligible.

Mark Hasagawa-Johnson is a researcher at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology and a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He has devoted his 30-plus-year career to developing communication tools and technologies and ensuring their accessibility for everyone. His research focuses on automatic speech recognition, and he is the lead researcher of the Speech Accessibility Project, a multi-year initiative that aims to improve voice-recognition technology by collecting audio samples from volunteers with a variety of speech-impacted disabilities. Hasagawa-Johnson earned his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was recently named a Fellow of the International Speech Communication Association.

Clarion Mendes is a speech-language pathologist and a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She received her M.A. in speech-language pathology from UIUC and brings 14 years of SLP experience to the Speech Accessibility Project team. Mendes’s rich clinical and teaching portfolio includes health equity, treatment protocols for gender-diverse individuals seeking voice modification, and quality of life improvements for individuals with acquired communication disorders and differences. She is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health and is OutCare Health certified.

#parkinsons #PDawareness #ParkinsonsDisease #ShakeItOff  #ParkinsonsWarrior #FindACure #ParkinsonsCommunity #LivingWithParkinsons #ParkinsonsResearch #MovementDisorder #YOPN #YOPD #YoungOnset

This week on the Young Onset Parkinson’s Network podcast (YOPN PODCAST)

Meet Ian O'Brien, a determined 43-year-old father who refuses to let Parkinson's Disease hinder his enjoyment of life. Ian is an unwavering advocate of pushing his limits and embracing challenges. His latest endeavor? Conquering the highest peaks in all 28 countries of the EU27 and the UK within a span of just 28 days. It's June 2023, and you can follow Ian's extraordinary journey at www.eurupian.com.

Jon Pawelkop, an Ambassador for the World Parkinson’s Congress 2023, was recently featured on the YOPN podcast. He promotes Rock Steady Boxing (RSB) and encourages others to "Make It Mean Something" (MIMS). In May 2018, Jon started a personal challenge called "Boxing Grand Tour Fighting Parkinson’s," which involved visiting an RSB affiliate class in every state and working out with the fighters there while also sharing words of encouragement. He completed this goal within 13 months and visited more than 60 RSB affiliates. Jon also attended the World Parkinson’s Congress in Kyoto, Japan, where he helped represent RSB and assisted coaches from various countries as they demonstrated their lessons to attendees.