Most people don’t hear the words “You have Parkinson’s Disease” and associate it with silver linings. I didn’t either at first.

Symptomatic at age 37 I sought answers.  I was diagnosed with everything but Parkinson’s.  In 1994 physicians didn’t look at a young woman who had a one-year-old and think Parkinson’s.  In 2013, a Movement Disorder Specialist (MDS) made the diagnosis of Young Onset Parkinson’s.  Later the same year, I had Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery (DBS).

After my diagnosis, I went through a period of fear and uncertainty, but I refused to believe that Parkinson’s would define my future. I chose to focus on what I could do. I began taking risks, trying new things, and moving forward one step at a time—without looking too far ahead, and without looking back.

Here is when the magic happened and I discovered the Silver Lining

Parkinson’s has given me is community. I discovered I wasn’t alone and became part of a global Parkinson’s “tribe.” I’ve met people from all over the world, I would never have met, if not for Parkinson’s.

Parkinson’s allowed me to find my voice, and I began to an advocate for Parkinson’s. I work with non-profit organizations, legislators at both the local and federal levels to improve access to care and increase funding for research. I served as Treasurer for my local Parkinson’s support group. I regularly attend policy forums with the Michael J. Fox Foundation to advocate for the Parkinson’s community. Parkinson’s is the fastest-growing neurological disease in the world, and we urgently need better treatments—and a cure.

In 2019, I stepped far outside my comfort zone by joining other Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s advocates on a nine-day, 120-mile pilgrimage hike across Sicily. It challenged me physically and mentally, but it showed me what is possible. Along the way, I repeated a simple mantra: Never, ever, ever give up.  In 2023, I also traveled alone to attend the World Parkinson’s Congress (WPC) in Barcelona.  This was a dream come true.  This year, I’m honored to have been selected to serve as an ambassador at WPC 2026 in Phoenix.

I recently wrote and published a children’s book The Secret Switch created to support families as they navigate conversations about Parkinson’s and Deep Brain Stimulation (aka The Secret Switch) with young children. Written in a gentle, age-appropriate way, the story offers comfort and understanding while encouraging empathy, open dialogue, and meaningful connection within families and across generations.

The book also thoughtfully introduces Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), explaining it in a way that feels reassuring and non-threatening for children, while acknowledging and validating the wide range of emotions they may experience. Although the story was initially written with Young Onset Parkinson’s disease in mind, it has proven to resonate with families throughout the broader Parkinson’s community.

This journey has taught me that Parkinson’s does not define who I am. When I look beyond the diagnosis, I see there is still plenty of life left to live, and I am determined to live it fully.