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April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month! This episode of When Life Gives You Parkinson’s is about women with Parkinson’s who are diagnosed less often, less accurately and offered treatments that are less effective often because hormonal cycles play a role and it’s a rather unexplored area of the disease.

We will hear from three women with Parkinson’s who also experienced pregnancy, giving birth and parenting with PD. All of their experiences were different, but certainly complicated by their Parkinson’s disease. And all three are now advocates for women like them.

Thank you for listening. Add your voice to the show and leave a message for us here; https://www.speakpipe.com/WhenLifeGivesYouParkinsons

Follow us, Larry & Rebecca Gifford 

Twitter: @ParkinsonsPod

Facebook: Facebook.com/ParkinsonsPod

Instagram: @parkinsonspod

Thank you to the following people featured in this episode:

Soania Mathur, MD - Sonia was a family physician and pregnant with her first child when she was diagnosed at 27. She is co-founder of PD Avengers, co-chair of The Michael J Fox Patient Council,  on the Board of Directors for the Davis Phinney Foundation, and the medical boards of the Brian Grant Foundation and Parkinson Canada. She and her two daughters have also written two Children’s books on Parkinson’s; My Grandpa’s Shaky Hand and Shaky Hands – A Kids Guide to Parkinson’s Disease.

Caitlin Nagy – After denying and hiding her diagnosis for seven years, Caitlin, a 38-year-old mother, is sharing her story of Parkinson’s in Parkinson Canada’s April Awareness Campaign “Together: No Matter What.”

Paola Celli - Paola was born in Ecuador and diagnosed at the age of 12. She was married and then moved to Texas where she gave birth to two children.

Diagnosed with Parkinson’s? You are not alone. Contact presenting partner Parkinson Canada http://www.parkinson.ca/, call the toll free hotline 1-800-565-3000 or on Twitter you can message @ParkinsonCanada.

Here is a link to Parkinson Canada’s “Together: No Matter What” campaign

Thanks also to our content and promotional partners

The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast hosted by Larry Gifford

Spotlight YOPD – The only Parkinson’s organization dedicated to raising awareness for Young Onset Parkinson’s disease and funds for the Cure Parkinson’s Trust. 

PD Avengers - United to end Parkinson’s. Join us.

World Parkinson Congress 2022 –Make plans to join us for #WPC2022 in Barcelona, Spain.

Credits

Dila Velazquez – Story Producer

Rob Johnson  – Sound Design

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of When Life Gives You Parkinson’s, I am the host of a live event with four leading experts in the Parkinson’s world. Together they wrote a book called “Ending Parkinson’s Disease” and launched a red letter campaign to the White House. It’s been one year since the book was released and it has helped to inspired the movement PD Avengers, which I co-founded. What’s new in Parkinson’s? What have they learned? What’s standing in our way of success? Listen as Dr. Ray Dorsey, Dr. Bas Bloem, Dr. Michael Okun, and Dr. Todd Sherer sit down for one on one interviews with me and learn how, no matter where you are in the world, you can help make a difference.

Thank you for listening. Add your voice to the show and leave a message for us here; https://www.speakpipe.com/WhenLifeGivesYouParkinsons

Follow us, Larry & Rebecca Gifford 

Twitter: @ParkinsonsPod

Facebook: Facebook.com/ParkinsonsPod

Instagram: @parkinsonspod

Thank you to the following people featured in this episode:

Dr. Todd Sherer, CEO Michael J Fox Foundation

Dr. Michael Okun, Chair and professor of Neurology, University of Florida

Dr. Bas Bloem, Prof. Bas Bloem is the medical director of the Department of Neurology at Radboud University Medical Center.

Dr. Ray Dorsey, Prof. Department of Neurology , Director of Center for Health and Technology (SMD)     at the University of Rochester

Buy the Ending Parkinson’s Book or Join the Red Letter Campaign www.endingpd.org

Diagnosed with Parkinson’s? You are not alone. Contact presenting partner Parkinson Canada http://www.parkinson.ca/, call the toll free hotline 1-800-565-3000 or on Twitter you can message @ParkinsonCanada.

Here is a link to the Parkinson’s Canada Preventing Falls Guide.

Thanks also to our content and promotional partners

The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast hosted by Larry Gifford

Spotlight YOPD – The only Parkinson’s organization dedicated to raising awareness for Young Onset Parkinson’s disease and funds for the Cure Parkinson’s Trust. 

PD Avengers - United to end Parkinson’s. Join us.

World Parkinson Congress 2022 –Make plans to join us for #WPC2022 in Barcelona, Spain.

Credits

Dila Velazquez – Story Producer

Greg Schott – Sound Design

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of When Life Gives You Parkinson’s is about exploring Eastern holistic healing modalities as a complement to the pharmaceuticals relied upon by Western Medicine. Parkinson’s touches a global community, so we might as well use all the global tools to address our health and wellness. Sometimes it is a matter of having the courage to try something new.

For me, last year, that was acupuncture. I am afraid of needles, but quite enjoyed the pain relief it provide and calming, centering sensation it provided. Practitioners of traditional Eastern medicine stress the importance of finding an energetic balance and energetic awareness.

I have never had Reiki. Rebecca experienced it at World Parkinson Congress in Kyoto. We talk to the two Reiki masters who were in the “renewal room” and the impact that they observed Reiki had on people with Parkinson’s and care partners. We also chat with Karl and Angela Robb. Karl has had PD for thirty years. After discovering the benefits of Reiki, they both became Reiki masters and use it to manage life’s challenges.

Thank you for listening. Add your voice to the show and leave a message for us here; https://www.speakpipe.com/WhenLifeGivesYouParkinsons

Follow us, Larry & Rebecca Gifford 

Twitter: @ParkinsonsPod

Facebook: Facebook.com/ParkinsonsPod

Instagram: @parkinsonspod

Thank you to the following people featured in this episode:

Muniqui Muhammad and Lena Takahashi www.healinglandreiki.com

Karl and Angela Robb www.KarlRobb.com and check out their book A Soft Voice in a Noisy World: A Guide to Dealing and Healing with Parkinson’s Disease Book

Diagnosed with Parkinson’s? You are not alone. Contact presenting partner Parkinson Canada http://www.parkinson.ca/, call the toll free hotline 1-800-565-3000 or on Twitter you can message @ParkinsonCanada.

Here is a link to the Parkinson’s Canada Preventing Falls Guide.

 Thanks also to our content and promotional partners

The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast hosted by Larry Gifford

Spotlight YOPD – The only Parkinson’s organization dedicated to raising awareness for Young Onset Parkinson’s disease and funds for the Cure Parkinson’s Trust. 

PD Avengers - United to end Parkinson’s. Join us.

World Parkinson Congress 2022 –Make plans to join us for #WPC2022 in Barcelona, Spain.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hi, it’s Larry. I’m 49 and I have Parkinson’s disease. This episode of When Life Gives You Parkinson’s is about managing falls. It is winter and where we live snow and ice and black ice and freezing rain are all hazards, which increase everyone’s chances of falling. People with Parkinson’s are more prone to slipping and stumbling, skidding and tumbling to the ground. So, we should talk about it. I didn’t consider it a topic I’d need to know much about until I get much older. I was wrong. One reason we're doing this episode is because over the holidays I had four falls.  

I am on the mend with help from NeuroFit BC’s Naomi Casiro. Rebecca and I talk with Physiotherapist Nicole Ascera, PhD. She’s a clinical specialist in neurosciences and wrote the Parkinson Canada Guide on Preventing Falls. I also meet the creator of the ACTIVATOR Poles by Urban Poling, Mandy Shintani. These are great tools especially for gait, balance and confidence issues.

Through the episode, Rebecca and I realize we have a lot to do to prepare mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually for the next fall. And the fall after that one. And the one after that one.

Thank you for listening. Add your voice to the show and leave a message for us here; https://www.speakpipe.com/WhenLifeGivesYouParkinsons

Follow us, Larry & Rebecca Gifford 

Twitter: @ParkinsonsPod

Facebook: Facebook.com/ParkinsonsPod

Instagram: @parkinsonspod

Thank you to the following people featured in this episode:

Naomi Casiro (Founder/ Registered Physiotherapist) BSc. (Kin), MPT, Certified PWR! https://www.neurofitbc.com/

Nicole Acerra, PhD Nicole Acerra, PhD, is a physiotherapist with a passion for neurological and vestibular rehabilitation. She is one of the authors of the Parkinson Canada’s Preventing Falls Guide

Mandy Shintani OT & Gerontologist, Developer ACTIVATOR Poles & Founder Urban Poling Inc. Learn more about how Activator poles work with PwP at an upcoming free webinar. Register today! The webinar is on Wed April 28 at 7 pm EST/4 pm PST https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QDm5AfunTZyUmW2yCccU5A

Diagnosed with Parkinson’s? You are not alone. Contact presenting partner Parkinson Canada http://www.parkinson.ca/, call the toll free hotline 1-800-565-3000 or on Twitter you can message @ParkinsonCanada.

Here is a link to the Parkinson’s Canada Preventing Falls Guide.

Thanks also to our content and promotional partners

The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast hosted by Larry Gifford

Spotlight YOPD – The only Parkinson’s organization dedicated to raising awareness for Young Onset Parkinson’s disease and funds for the Cure Parkinson’s Trust. 

PD Avengers - United to end Parkinson’s. Join us.World Parkinson Congress 2022 –Make plans to join us for #WPC2022 in Barcelona, Spain

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of When Life Gives You Parkinson’s, my wife Rebecca and I discover and discuss integrative medicine with Dr. Indu Subramanian. Integrative medicine is where Western and Eastern medicines meet. Activities we all are aware of like yoga, mindfulness, acupuncture and massage are among the activities that fall into integrative medicine.

I first met Indu when she interviewed me on a webinar for PMD Alliance in September 2020. Indu is Canadian, having been born and raised in Ontario, she now lives in LA. She runs the Center of Excellence for Parkinson’s at the West Los Angeles Veteran’s Hospital and is a neurologist on staff at UCLA hospital. She’s also certified in Integrated Medicine, has more than 200 hours of yoga training and loves to explore unconventional and non-pharma treatments to improve life for people with PD.

Her study on loneliness during the pandemic causing an increase of PD symptoms was widely reported on in medical journals, newspapers and popular magazines alike. She is approachable, positive, curious, and empowering. We talk about her love of the brain, the PD Avengers, the power of storytelling, and why integrative medicine does come with some warning labels. We hope you will enjoy this conversation as much as we do.

Thank you for listening. Add your voice to the show and leave a message for us here; https://www.speakpipe.com/WhenLifeGivesYouParkinsons

Follow us, Larry & Rebecca Gifford 

Twitter: @ParkinsonsPod

Facebook: Facebook.com/ParkinsonsPod

Instagram: @parkinsonspod

Thank you to the following people featured in this episode:

Dr. Indu Subramanian, Movement Neurologist over seeing Parkinson’s Center of Excellence at the West Los Angeles Veteran’s Hospital and a neurologist at UCLA Hospital. Follow her on twitter at @drisubramanian 

Diagnosed with Parkinson’s? You are not alone. Contact presenting partner Parkinson Canada http://www.parkinson.ca/, call the toll free hotline 1-800-565-3000 or on Twitter you can message @ParkinsonCanada

Thanks also to our content and promotional partners

The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast hosted by Larry Gifford

Spotlight YOPD – The only Parkinson’s organization dedicated to raising awareness for Young Onset Parkinson’s disease and funds for the Cure Parkinson’s Trust. 

PD Avengers - United to end Parkinson’s. Join us.

World Parkinson Congress 2022 –Make plans to join us for #WPC2022 in Barcelona, Spain.

Credits

Dila Velazquez – Story Producer

Greg Schott – Sound Design

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of When Life Gives You Parkinson’s, my wife Rebecca and I are talking with two leaders of Parkinson's organizations about the impact coronavirus has had on advocacy, collaboration, new programs. Karen Lee and Elizabeth “Eli” Pollard are true leaders with serious minds and senses of humor, and both are visionary when it comes to bringing the Parkinson community together with a purpose. 

Dr. Karen Lee took on the role of President and CEO of Parkinson’s Canada in the middle of the Coronavirus pandemic. She’s taking the work-at-home mandate as a chance to meet and get to know her staff, advocates, and leaders of other organizations virtually, “We talk with all the various groups, look for opportunities, synergies, it's not about trying to compete and were not looking to duplicate efforts, but really looking for efficiencies and opportunities.” Parkinson Canada is also establishing a Parkinson Advisory Council to help inform decisions and make recommendations to the charity.

Eli Pollard, Executive Director of World Parkinson Coalition, would typically make 12 to 15 trips to various destinations as she plans for the World Parkinson Congress 2022 in Barcelona. With travel restricted by COVID-19, she has been busy creating new programs including a dual language webinar series where the same presenters host a webinar first in English and then thirty minutes later in Spanish.  She’s also just announced that May 17-21, 2021 is the inaugural VIRTUAL World Parkinson Congress, “We've been chewing on this idea for a long time and COVID sort of pushed our hand, which is great. So it would be sort of “year one” is the in-person Congress, “year two” and “year three” would be a virtual Congress. And so we're calling it WPC Virtual.” This year’s theme is advancing science care and living with Parkinson's. Their will be around 80 presenter's, with 5 tracks, but all the content for each day will be release at once for virtual attendees to watch it at their convenience. There will be live Q&A sessions 24 hours after each scheduled session. The WPC Virtual admission is $25.00, all inclusive.                                     

Thank you for listening. Add your voice to the show and leave a message for us here; https://www.speakpipe.com/WhenLifeGivesYouParkinsons

Follow us, Larry & Rebecca Gifford 

Twitter: @ParkinsonsPod

Facebook: Facebook.com/ParkinsonsPod

Instagram: @parkinsonspod

Thank you to the following people featured in this episode:

Dr. Karen Lee – President and CEO of Parkinson Canada @Dr_KarenLee

Eli Pollard – Executive Director, World Parkinson Coalition #WPC2022

Diagnosed with Parkinson’s? You are not alone. Contact presenting partner Parkinson Canada http://www.parkinson.ca/, call the toll free hotline 1-800-565-3000 or on Twitter you can message @ParkinsonCanada

Thanks also to our content and promotional partners

The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast hosted by Larry Gifford

Spotlight YOPD – The only Parkinson’s organization dedicated to raising awareness for Young Onset Parkinson’s disease and funds for the Cure Parkinson’s Trust. 

PD Avengers - United to end Parkinson’s. Join us.

World Parkinson Congress 2022 –Make plans to join us for #WPC2022 in Barcelona, Spain.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of When Life Gives You Parkinson’s, Larry and Rebecca Gifford welcome 2021 by digging through a sack full of hope. Each week there seems to be another headline that signals major breakthroughs – as in bio-markers and disease altering treatments – are just around the corner for Parkinson’s. We talk to two people who confirm we are on the precipice of major changes in how we view and treat the disease. 

However, it is not just about the diagnosis and treatments. PD advocates come in all shapes and sizes – from 80 year old driveway walkers, to middle aged soccer players, to geeks and nerds sitting behind a computer screen. Each are unleashing their super powers on the PD community and owning it. Get ready for lasers in your head, a race with the moon and the inaugural Parkython. Plus, there’s a tomato… a laser… a magic ring… Uma Thurman….Barcelona, and a serious discussion of wearables for non-invasive measuring of dopamine levels.

If you are a half-glass empty person, this episode will either be so packed with hope is shooting out your ears or you will have 17 more great, positive, groundbreaking, even life changing, “wow” moment things to find flaw with.

Thank you for listening. Add your voice to the show and leave a message for us here; https://www.speakpipe.com/WhenLifeGivesYouParkinsons

Follow us, Larry & Rebecca Gifford 

Twitter: @ParkinsonsPod

Facebook: Facebook.com/ParkinsonsPod

Instagram: @parkinsonspod

Thank you to the following people featured in this episode:

David Vocadlo, Canada Research Chair in Chemical Biology, Simon Fraser University. His research website is here.

Debi Brooks, Co-Founder and Executive Vice Chairman of the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Listen to Episode One of the podcast series “Milestones and Momentum in Parkinson’s Research”

Charlie Appleyard – Learn about Sport Parkinsons here. The “Race the Moon” announcement will be on Monday, January 11, 2021.

Rui Cuoto – Read about Parkython (Parkinsons + Hackathon) and register to be a part of it!

Kevin Krejci – Learn more about the Oura Ring we discussed. 

John Dean – For details on the EPDA’s Keep on Moving and ExerciseCast click the links. 

Ralph & Berys Richardson – Check out Team Ralph on the SuperWalk website

Greg Hicks – Greg documents Ralph’s campaign on Facebook

Special thanks to Pulp Fiction and Uma Thurman’s tomato joke, Dave Clark (Happy 10th-Parkyversary), the generic voice guy for Vie Light, and Babe Ruth for calling his shot. Here’s a link to the photo of the Levodopa Tomato.

Diagnosed with Parkinson’s? You are not alone. Contact presenting partner Parkinson Canada http://www.parkinson.ca/, call toll free hotline 1-800-565-3000, on Twitter @ParkinsonCanada

Thanks also to our content and promotional partners

The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast hosted by Larry Gifford

Spotlight YOPD – The only Parkinson’s organization dedicated to raising awareness for Young Onset Parkinson’s disease and funds for the Cure Parkinson’s Trust. 

PD Avengers - United to end Parkinson’s. Join us.

World Parkinson Congress 2022 –Make plans to join us for #WPC2022 in Barcelona, Spain.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of When Life Gives You Parkinson’s, Larry and Rebecca Gifford welcome 2021 by digging through a sack full of hope. Each week there seems to be another headline that signals major breakthroughs – as in bio-markers and disease altering treatments – are just around the corner for Parkinson’s. We talk to two people who confirm we are on the precipice of major changes in how we view and treat the disease. 

However, it is not just about the diagnosis and treatments. PD advocates come in all shapes and sizes – from 80 year old driveway walkers, to middle aged soccer players, to geeks and nerds sitting behind a computer screen. Each are unleashing their super powers on the PD community and owning it. Get ready for lasers in your head, a race with the moon and the inaugural Parkython. Plus, there’s a tomato… a laser… a magic ring…  Uma Thurman….Barcelona, and a serious discussion of wearables for non-invasive measuring of dopamine levels.

If you are a half-glass empty person, this episode will either be so packed with hope is shooting out your ears or you will have 17 more great, positive, groundbreaking, even life changing, “wow” moment things to find flaw with.

Thank you for listening. Add your voice to the show and leave a message for us here; https://www.speakpipe.com/WhenLifeGivesYouParkinsons

Follow us, Larry & Rebecca Gifford 

Twitter: @ParkinsonsPod

Facebook: Facebook.com/ParkinsonsPod

Instagram: @parkinsonspod

Thank you to the following people featured in this episode:

David Vocadlo, Canada Research Chair in Chemical Biology, Simon Fraser University. His research website is here.

Debi Brooks, Co-Founder and Executive Vice Chairman of the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Listen to Episode One of the podcast series “Milestones and Momentum in Parkinson’s Research”

Charlie Appleyard –  Learn about Sport Parkinsons here. The “Race the Moon” announcement will be on Monday, January 11, 2021.

Rui Cuoto – Read about Parkython (Parkinsons + Hackathon) and register to be a part of it!

Kevin Krejci – Learn more about the Oura Ring we discussed. 

John Dean – For details on the EPDA’s Keep on Moving and ExerciseCast click the links. 

Ralph & Berys Richardson – Check out Team Ralph on the SuperWalk website

Greg Hicks – Greg documents Ralph’s campaign on Facebook

Special thanks to Pulp Fiction and Uma Thurman’s tomato joke, Dave Clark (Happy 10th-Parkyversary), the generic voice guy for Vie Light, and Babe Ruth for calling his shot. Here’s a link to the photo of the Levodopa Tomato.

Diagnosed with Parkinson’s? You are not alone. Contact presenting partner Parkinson Canada http://www.parkinson.ca/, call toll free hotline 1-800-565-3000, on Twitter @ParkinsonCanada

Thanks also to our content and promotional partners

The Michael J. Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Podcast hosted by Larry Gifford

Spotlight YOPD – The only Parkinson’s organization dedicated to raising awareness for Young Onset Parkinson’s disease and funds for the Cure Parkinson’s Trust. 

PD Avengers - United to end Parkinson’s. Join us.

World Parkinson Congress 2022 –Make plans to join us for #WPC2022 in Barcelona, Spain.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of When Life Gives You Parkinson’s, you will meet Ralph and Berys Richardson who have been married 52 years. Five years ago, doctors diagnosed Ralph with Lewy Body Dementia and then Parkinson’s disease a few years later. When COVID-19 hit, Ralph’s usual exercise programs were cancelled. So, with the help of Berys and his caretaker Greg Hicks, he decided to walk up and down his driveway everyday. He set his mind to doing 30 laps. He reach his goal in 17 days. Then he set his sights a bit higher, walk 100 days to raise $10,000. More than 200 days later, he’s still walking and he’s raised more than $30,000 for Parkinson Canada.

Also, this episode is the final episode for contributor Niki Reitmayer. We say farewell and good luck.

Thank you for listening. Add your voice to the show and leave a message for us here; https://www.speakpipe.com/WhenLifeGivesYouParkinsons

Follow us, Larry & Rebecca Gifford 

Twitter: @ParkinsonsPod

Facebook: Facebook.com/ParkinsonsPod

Instagram: @parkinsonspod

A fond farewell to Co-host and Producer Niki Reitmeyer. We love you, will miss you and wish all the best. Thanks for going on this journey with us.

Thank you to the following people featured in this episode:

Ralph & Berys Richardson – Check out Team Ralph on the SuperWalk website

Greg Hicks – Greg documents Ralph’s campaign on Facebook

Diagnosed with Parkinson’s? You are not alone. Contact presenting partner Parkinson Canada http://www.parkinson.ca/, call toll free hotline 1-800-565-3000, on Twitter @ParkinsonCanada

Thanks also to our content and promotional partners

Parkinson’s IQ + You– A free, series of Parkinson’s events from the Michael J. Fox Foundation

Spotlight YOPD – The only Parkinson’s organization dedicated to raising awareness for Young Onset Parkinson’s disease and funds for the Cure Parkinson’s Trust.

PD Avengers - We want to help end Parkinson’s disease. Join us.

World Parkinson Congress 2022 –Make plans to join us for #WPC2022 in Barcelona, Spain.

Credits

Dila Velazquez – Story Producer

Greg Schott – Sound Design

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices