Voices Archives - Parkinson's Life

A close up of Barbara Salsberg Mathews striking a pose with her face painted white

Mime over matter: “I aim to live life fully”

How the art form can support people with Parkinson’s disease

Journalist and radio presenter Mark Mardell.

Mark Mardell: “I’ve always tried to be open and honest – it’s what makes me a journalist”

We talk to the BBC presenter about life with Parkinson’s disease

Happy Hour: the short film exploring quality of life and Parkinson’s disease

Learn about the inspiration behind the project

“Boxing keeps me going”

How Action Parkinson is supporting the Parkinson’s disease community

In focus: 3 photography projects that shed light on Parkinson’s disease

Read about the people behind the pictures

A photo of Urs Bratschi holding up pasta art

“Without Parkinson’s, I’m not sure my pasta would have become art”

Urs Bratschi shares how the condition has spurred his creative pursuits

“The earlier you can start exercising from diagnosis, the better”

Stephanie Wallis's fitness classes for people with Parkinson’s disease

“Anybody affected by Parkinson’s disease deserves equal access to care”

Tania Park on supporting the community in Africa

“I wanted to help make sense of what was happening to us”

Leslie Davidson discusses her and her husband’s simultaneous diagnoses

“The aim of the haiku poet is to capture the essence of a moment”

Stella Pierides on writing, poetry and Parkinson’s disease

Christine with her kids at preschool Christmas event in Peru

Holiday greetings from the Parkinson’s disease community

How are you marking the festive season this year?

Annual Charity Fundraiser "of the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorder Society (PDMDS) held on the 30th of October, 2022.

“Many people in Kenya are not aware that Parkinson’s disease exists”

Dr Maria Barretto discusses expanding global awareness of the condition

Nenad Back playing ping pong at an outdoor venue in Croatia

The sport helping to unite members of the community

Nenad Bach on music, ping pong and Parkinson’s disease

“I never expected to create a project like this with my son”

The mother-son duo making films about Parkinson’s disease

Valerie Perrine: “I don’t dwell on the past or worry about the future”

The Hollywood star tells us about living with Parkinson's disease

“People simply want to meet, connect and offer support to each other”

Rakesh Harribhai on raising Parkinson’s disease awareness in South Africa

Parkinson's Europe working with its partners at the European Parliament in March 2017

“We need to educate decision makers about this condition”

What more should be done to raise awareness of Parkinson’s?

The walking football Parkinson's team standing and sitting together on a football pitch

Behind England’s first walking football team for people with Parkinson’s disease

Stuart Carrington shares how the sport has united people in the community

“Parkinson’s disease is not a death sentence – it’s a wake-up call”

How an online support group is "empowering" people

“The power of creating something cannot be overstated”

How photography helped Torrance York to capture life with Parkinson’s dis

Putting Parkinson’s disease on the page

Author Robyn Cotton shares how her own diagnosis inspired her novel

Celebrating 30 years of campaigning for people with Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s Europe, then and now: in conversation with Lizzie Graham

The power of the voice: “Think of singing as an exercise”

Elizabeth Stegemöller on music therapy for Parkinson’s disease

the photography group standing together in the Adelaide botanical gardens

“We are not perfect photographers, but we learn from each other”

The shared hobby bringing people with Parkinson’s disease together

Trolley California Street Sunrise in San Francisco

10 top tips for travelling with Parkinson’s

Finnish author and campaigner Timo Montonen shares his top tips

“We must prepare our brain and body to face all difficulties”

Nikolas Koukoulakis on powerlifting for Parkinson’s disease

“We made our own bit of history”

Completing the ‘world's hardest triathlon’ for Parkinson’s disease

Lights, camera, action: three filmmakers sharing stories of Parkinson’s disease

From creating connections to raising awareness on the screen

Manju's father holding one of his painting

How one father’s Parkinson’s disease inspired a virtual art programme

Manju Bangalore tells us about Painting With Parkinson’s

people with Parkinson's practising ballet in a studio

“Dance can give people a personal voice”

Andrew Carroll on music and movement for Parkinson’s disease

“I want to create technologies that help alleviate human suffering”

Meet the inventor of an award-winning Parkinson’s disease tool

Guy Deacon standing in Erg Chebbi, Morocco

“The best way of combatting Parkinson’s disease is to do something about it”

Why Colonel Guy Deacon is travelling across Africa to raise awareness

“There is something marvellous about taking control of our lives”

Jo Yaldren on her ‘Year of Yes’ with Parkinson’s disease

The filmmaker challenging the “miserable” media surrounding Parkinson’s

We talk to award-winning director and filmmaker Grant Taylor

“People love competition, don’t they?”

Take part in an exercise initiative for Parkinson’s disease

“Our clothes have helped to change lives”

Bringing accessibility to the wardrobes of people with Parkinson’s

“Parkinson’s disease is part of my identity, whether I like it or not”

Three members of the community share their experiences

All hands on deck: rowing 3,200 miles for Parkinson’s disease

Billy Taylor on raising awareness at sea

Lori DePorter and her husband Mike playing Gin Rummy

“Play the hand you’ve been dealt, including the jokers”

Lori DePorter on puzzles, board games and Parkinson’s disease

We need to talk about impulsive behaviours and Parkinson’s disease

Ahead of our upcoming podcast, we explore four people’s insights

Photographer Safi Alia Sabaik and her father.

“The project gave my father strength and purpose”

How artist Safi Alia Shabaik captured her father’s Parkinson’s disease

“It’s so rewarding to help people improve their communication”

Find out about a new voice therapy app for Parkinson’s disease

“It’s not just a film about Parkinson’s disease – it’s a film about family”

We hear from Nina Caprice about her upcoming documentary

A clothing model poses in three different positions.

Ready, set, sew: three fashion projects designed to support people with Parkinson’s disease

From raising awareness to sharing stories of the condition

Walter J Archey III stands at a studio microphone.

Six people with Parkinson’s disease on the power of music

From raising awareness to coping with the condition

“You’ve got to just take one step at a time – and that’s what we did”

Two friends on their inspiring walk for Parkinson’s disease

“Together we can make a difference”

Three Parkinson’s disease campaigners share their advice

“Speaking provides me with purpose and meaning”

A lawyer turned inspirational speaker on living with Parkinson’s disease

Christine Jeyachandran smiles for a photo.

“I want to break the silence and stigma associated with Parkinson’s disease”

Christine Jeyachandran on what inspired her poignant short film

Research scientist Andy Howden smiles for a photo in a lab coat.

A day in the life of a Parkinson’s disease researcher

What is it like being a scientist?

“With Parkinson’s disease, rhythm can help you walk and singing can help you speak”

We hear from Parkinsong founder Gerald Ganglbauer

Samantha Felder and her father, Craig Barbian.

A father and daughter on how Parkinson’s disease changed their lives

What’s it like when your child is diagnosed with the condition?

Adventurer with Parkinson's Alex Flynn in the Arctic

“The injustice of Parkinson’s motivates me”

We talk to adventurer Alex Flynn about his incredible achievements

Char and Madi Kennedy smile at each other wearing one of their clothing designs

How one family-run clothing company is “sharing the story of Parkinson’s”

Why Shrimp Studio is raising Parkinson’s disease awareness

Dance craze turned Parkinson’s app: the story behind Patana AI

The app helps diagnose people with Parkinson’s

“Exercise is important – but so is exercising the mind and soul”

A platform for creativity in Parkinson’s disease community

Genna Douglas sits on a couch in front of a window

“Not one of my friends realised you could get Parkinson’s disease so young”

Genna Douglas on challenging misconceptions through design

sponsored article

“This is a condition you have to learn to live with”

What’s it like living with ‘advanced’ Parkinson’s disease?

Film writer, director and professor Brett Harvey poses for a photo.

The film that’s helping people to process their Parkinson’s disease diagnosis

We speak to director Brett Harvey about his latest project

3 Parkinson’s disease symptoms you need to know about

Our readers discuss facial masking, sleep disturbance and voice problems

Maryum and Muhammad Ali on his 74th birthday.

“Even Muhammad Ali had a learning curve”

Maryum Ali discusses her father’s Parkinson’s disease

A behind-the-scenes look at two people being filmed

5 filmmakers on making movies about Parkinson’s disease

From a sports-inspired documentary to a feature on Parkinson’s and punk

The dark side of Parkinson's film series

“The darker aspects of Parkinson’s are rarely discussed”

An “open, ruthlessly honest and gritty” film series

“I do not let Parkinson’s diagnosis define who I am”

We talk to Parkinson's Europe vice president Danny Lavender MBE

6 New Year’s resolutions from Parkinson’s community

Our readers share their goals for 2021

Woman having video conference during Christmas at home

Celebrating the holidays: tips from the global Parkinson’s community

Our readers share their festive plans

Hands raised on camera in group Zoom call

The Covid Chronicles: connecting performers with Parkinson’s disease

Fostering creativity through an online opera project

“The lockdown has affected people with Parkinson’s in India immensely”

Dr Maria Barretto on how Covid-19 is impacting Parkinson’s community

Portraits of young onset Parkinson’s

Three women share how Parkinson’s disease has affected their lives

Pro cyclist to non-profit founder: Davis Phinney on life with Parkinson’s

The Tour de France stage winner talks about living well with Parkinson’s

The challenges and joys of writing with Parkinson’s

Ireland-based author Kathleen Reardon shares how she’s adapted to keep do

Parkinson's campaigner Massimiliano Iachini at a dance class

Dancing with Parkinson’s: “I feel completely changed”

We talk to Parkinson’s campaigner Massimiliano Iachini

Maria De Leon standing in front of 'Latino Victory' poster

“I struggled to find material about Parkinson’s in Spanish”

Dr Maria De León on breaking down barriers in treatment and research

“Black individuals don’t get as much time with doctors, studies show”

We hear from Parkinson’s researcher Dayne Beccano-Kelly

Meet the filmmaker documenting his father’s Parkinson’s journey

Robert Cochrane tells us about his documentary series on Parkinson’s

Rowing the Atlantic with Parkinson’s has “changed my outlook on life”

We talk to Parkinson’s campaigner Liz Dennett

“We know so much about Parkinson’s, but so little about people with Parkinson’s”

The book shining a new light on Parkinson’s research

“Music can take me to a special place in my head that Parkinson’s can’t get to”

Tony Coffey on his experience of Parkinson’s through music

“Covid-19 will change the NHS forever”

Two UK healthcare professionals with Parkinson’s discuss Covid-19

James Parkinson Essay on the Shaking Palsy lead

James Parkinson: the man behind the shaking palsy

Learn about the man who first documented Parkinson’s disease

Kitty Fitton: “It’s vital that we keep our sense of humour, especially at times like this”

We talk to comedian with Parkinson’s Kitty Fitton

“It is time for us to act more aggressively to end Parkinson’s”

Four Parkinson’s experts share their plan to end Parkinson’s

Meet the fashion graduate designing adaptive clothing for people with Parkinson’s

Monika Dugar tells us about her project aiming to improve mobility

Young onset Parkinson’s: “How I look is not how I feel”

The first in our series profiling Parkinson's Vision 2020 speakers

Parkinson’s and end-of-life: “I’m not afraid of dying”

Eleonor Högström on end-of-life preparations

Parkinson’s Portrayed: real stories reflected through art

We meet the creators behind the art project raising awareness for Parkinson

Capturing life with young onset Parkinson’s

We talk to UK photographer Paul Meyler

“I’m ready to row, eat, sleep and repeat”

We hear from the woman taking on the Atlantic Ocean

My Parkinson’s “has got nothing to do with God”

Campaigner Hema Reilly on challenging Parkinson’s stigma

Sofiya Lysenko holding her science awards.

Meet the 17-year-old inventor “treating Parkinson’s from the root”

Student creates a DNA nanorobot for more targeted Parkinson’s treatment

Your Parkinson’s tremor printed in 3D

We talk to the creatives behind the Berlin-based campaign

What’s it like to be a DJ with Parkinson’s?

Tune in for a chat with Radio Parkies' DJ Laura

“My hopes faded. I was desperately trying to provide for my family”

A window into the world of young-onset Parkinson’s

Racing around Iceland for Parkinson’s: it’s snow joke

Campaigner John MacPhee shares his highlights from a gruelling 57-hour bike

The road to Copenhagen: The UK Parkinson’s Football Team

We talk to team captain Charlie Appleyard

Painting a picture of life with Parkinson’s

Australian artist Timothy John describes his work

Globetrotting with Parkinson’s: ‘a wonderful world waiting to be explored’

Maura Ward shares her top tips for travelling with Parkinson’s

New Parkinson’s love story set to hit the big screen

“Love conquers all”

“I’m trying to be the Stephen Hawking of Parkinson’s”

We talk US rapper with Parkinson’s Walter J Archey III

Helping others with Parkinson’s ‘filled the gap in my life’

We talk to the founder of Parkinson’s EQUIP

“I knocked out a tweet and within half an hour my feed was going mad”

We talk to the BBC journalist Rory Cellan-Jones about his diagnosis

‘My album was an excuse to talk to my mother about Parkinson’s’

Canadian musician Joseph Shabason tells us about his album on Parkinson’s

Providing free speech therapy for New York’s Parkinson’s community

We talk to student clinician Beata Royzman about speech therapy for Parkins

Julie Walker, Andy Johnson, Daniel Abbott, Emma Middleton and Gailie Pollock

A musical exploring young onset Parkinson’s

Writer Julie Walker shares her top tips for people living with young onset

‘My Dad: his Parkinson’s through my 9-year-old eyes’

We talk to the man who sketches his Parkinson’s symptoms

‘Parkinson’s can tear couples apart’

Allison Toepperwein and Larry Gifford discuss how Parkinson’s has affecte

Bill Bucklew on walking 2,500 miles for Parkinson’s

Bill Bucklew tells us why he's not afraid of failure

Jennifer Parkinson young-onset Parkinson's

“There’s a stigma that if you don’t ‘look sick’ then there is nothing wrong”

Jennifer Parkinson reflects on young-onset Parkinson’s

Parkinson’s Sidekicks: bridging the intergenerational gap

A US art initiative tackling social isolation in Parkinson’s

GDNF trial: a miracle cure?

We talk to three participants who appeared in the BBC Two documentary

The choir improving Parkinson’s symptoms one note at a time

How singing improves Parkinson’s symptoms

Emma Lawton on her new “bucket list” project

We spoke to Parkinson’s activist Emma Lawton

Marc Woodward is the runner up in our Parkinson's poetry competition

Meet our poetry competition runner-up

We catch up with the runner-up in our Parkinson's poetry competition

Guest writer Nick Pernisco on his “warrior mentality”

A guest post from author Nick Pernisco

“We do not suffer from Parkinson’s, we live with it”

The last in our monthly series profiling WPC2019 bloggers

Telling the stories behind Parkinson’s

We spoke to the founder of Parkinson’s Story Exchange

Insight into Parkinson’s: “join us as we make history”

We talk to the founder of the ‘Insight into Parkinson’s’ summit

Brian Lowe: “Always look on the bright side of life”

The latest in our monthly series profiling WPC2019 bloggers

World Parkinson Congress: all about the sushi

We talk to Canadian WPC blogger Benjamin Stecher

Allison Toepperwein talks dating with Parkinson's

The dating diaries: Allison Toepperwein

US blogger Allison Toepperwein talks dating and Parkinson's

Parkinson’s: the “frenemy” within

We spoke to the creator of ‘When Life Gives You Parkinson’s’

“Not every day will be a day to create art”

Australian artist Timothy John on how Parkinson’s has impacted his work

A window into the world of Parkinson’s

We spoke to the creator of ‘The Adventures of an Aspiring Rockstar’

“I’m just fighting my corner”

The latest in our monthly series profiling WPC2019 bloggers

Charity Miles: the app “changing the way you see the world”

We talk to the founder of the Charity Miles app

Parkinson’s Life 2018 highlights

We look back at some of our favourite stories from 2018

“Parkinson’s doesn’t know when it’s Christmas”

How singing can help people manage symptoms of Parkinson’s

Simply having a wonderful Christmas time

Christmas carol composer Harold Chaplin shares his tips for festive season

“Fear prevents people from living a productive life”

The latest in our monthly series profiling WPC2019 bloggers

Swimming the English Channel for Parkinson’s

From England to France without a wetsuit

Chris Mamo: 40,000 steps in 12 hours for Parkinson’s

The fundraiser who didn’t stop running for 12 hours

Pedalling for Parkinson’s

We talk to the founder of The Bike Box Project in New Bern, North Carolina

“My next adventure is to concentrate on living”

Robin Buttery: the man behind the 3,600-mile Indian Ocean row

Fynlee Hateley: the 13-year-old Parkinson’s campaigner

The boy has raised UK £1,000 for the condition

“Since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, my world has expanded”

The latest in our monthly series profiling WPC2019 bloggers

‘A Highbrow Dinner’: medicinal plants, great food and Parkinson’s

An eight-course sensory experience for Parkinson’s

“I came home, spoke to my wife, and we cried together”

Meet the man using poetry to express his feelings about Parkinson’s

Alison Anderson: the “cyclopath”

We spoke to the campaigner who cycled 1,000 miles

“People are capable of so much more than they think”

We talk to Dr Modugno about the centre he directs in Italy

“Life can still be fun if you have Parkinson’s”

The latest in our monthly series profiling WPC2019 bloggers

Fighting Fit: tackling Parkinson’s in the workplace

We talk to the founders of a new programme in Buckinghamshire, UK

“I hope people take away hope and a smile from my blog”

The latest in our monthly series

“People out there want to help”

The walk raised £37,000

First Steps: making Parkinson’s “less scary”

The two-day programme is created by people with Parkinson’s, for people w

Jimmy Choi: why I became an ‘American Ninja Warrior’

We talk to the campaigner who has raised US $250,000 for Parkinson’s

“There is nothing wrong with my head and I will not be judged by my condition”

The latest in our monthly series

The man who walked 80km in one day for Parkinson’s

Clint Bauld walked for 24 hours in aid of Parkinson’s

Crowdfunded Irish feature film shines light on young onset Parkinson’s

We spoke to writer and director Chiara Viale

World Parkinson Congress 2019 Bloggers: Allison Smith

#WPC2019: We talk to US blogger Allison Smith

Jessica Mann: writing with Parkinson’s

We talk to the British author about living with Parkinson’s for two decad

World Parkinson Congress 2019 Bloggers: Kirk Hall

#WPC2019: We talk to American blogger Kirk Hall

Dancing across the globe for Parkinson’s

How a New York dance class spread around the world

World Parkinson Congress 2019 Bloggers: Mariëtte Robijn

#WPC2019: We talk to Dutch blogger Mariëtte Robijn

Dog research could lead to detection of the cause of Parkinson’s

We are just a sniff away from finding the molecule for Parkinson’s diseas

“The biggest compliment I get is when people don’t notice my dog is here”

After seven years of service Tommy can take his retirement

World Parkinson Congress 2019 Bloggers: Tim Hague

#WPC2019: We talk to Canadian blogger Tim Hague Sr

Judas Priest guitarist opens up about Parkinson’s diagnosis

The heavy metal guitarist released a message on social media

Watch: an animated story of Parkinson’s

Student Joshua-Gilroy Rossi discusses his Parkinson’s animation

Sir Roger Bannister, runner, neurologist and person with Parkinson’s, has died

A tribute to Sir Roger Bannister’s service to sport and neurology

Meet Parkinson’s Europe vice-president Susanna Lindvall as she gets involved in #UniteForParkinsons 2018

International Women's Day interview special

World Parkinson Congress 2019 Bloggers: Heather Kennedy

#WPC2019: We talk to American blogger Heather Kennedy

Dave Clark: “I’m not going to hide away”

We spoke to sports commentator Dave Clark about living with Parkinson's

World Parkinson Congress 2019 Bloggers: Sharon Krischer

#WPC2019: We talk to American blogger Sharon Krischer

World Parkinson Congress 2019 Bloggers: Natasha McCarthy

#WPC2019: We talk to Canadian blogger Natasha McCarthy

Meet Andy Butler, the man behind Parkinson’s People Facebook group

One of Facebook’s largest independent Parkinson’s groups

Paul Mayhew-Archer: “laughing at my Parkinson’s”

We spoke to comic legend Paul Mayhew-Archer about his condition

Parkinson’s disease and pregnancy: “There is so much we still don’t know”

Poems reflecting life with Parkinson’s disease

Mime over matter: “I aim to live life fully”

Interviews

Interviews

Interviews

Parkinson’s disease and pregnancy: “There is so much we still don’t know”

Poems reflecting life with Parkinson’s disease

Mime over matter: “I aim to live life fully”

Mark Mardell: “I’ve always tried to be open and honest – it’s what makes me a journalist”

Happy Hour: the short film exploring quality of life and Parkinson’s disease

“Boxing keeps me going”

In focus: 3 photography projects that shed light on Parkinson’s disease

“Without Parkinson’s, I’m not sure my pasta would have become art”

“The earlier you can start exercising from diagnosis, the better”

“Anybody affected by Parkinson’s disease deserves equal access to care”

“I wanted to help make sense of what was happening to us”

“The aim of the haiku poet is to capture the essence of a moment”

Holiday greetings from the Parkinson’s disease community

“Many people in Kenya are not aware that Parkinson’s disease exists”

The sport helping to unite members of the community

“I never expected to create a project like this with my son”

Valerie Perrine: “I don’t dwell on the past or worry about the future”

“People simply want to meet, connect and offer support to each other”

“We need to educate decision makers about this condition”

Behind England’s first walking football team for people with Parkinson’s disease

“Parkinson’s disease is not a death sentence – it’s a wake-up call”

“The power of creating something cannot be overstated”

Putting Parkinson’s disease on the page

Celebrating 30 years of campaigning for people with Parkinson’s disease

The power of the voice: “Think of singing as an exercise”

“We are not perfect photographers, but we learn from each other”

10 top tips for travelling with Parkinson’s

“We must prepare our brain and body to face all difficulties”

“We made our own bit of history”

Lights, camera, action: three filmmakers sharing stories of Parkinson’s disease

How one father’s Parkinson’s disease inspired a virtual art programme

“Dance can give people a personal voice”

“I want to create technologies that help alleviate human suffering”

“The best way of combatting Parkinson’s disease is to do something about it”

“There is something marvellous about taking control of our lives”

The filmmaker challenging the “miserable” media surrounding Parkinson’s

“People love competition, don’t they?”

“Our clothes have helped to change lives”

“Parkinson’s disease is part of my identity, whether I like it or not”

All hands on deck: rowing 3,200 miles for Parkinson’s disease

“Play the hand you’ve been dealt, including the jokers”

We need to talk about impulsive behaviours and Parkinson’s disease

“The project gave my father strength and purpose”

“It’s so rewarding to help people improve their communication”

“It’s not just a film about Parkinson’s disease – it’s a film about family”

Ready, set, sew: three fashion projects designed to support people with Parkinson’s disease

Six people with Parkinson’s disease on the power of music

“You’ve got to just take one step at a time – and that’s what we did”

“Together we can make a difference”

“Speaking provides me with purpose and meaning”

“I want to break the silence and stigma associated with Parkinson’s disease”

A day in the life of a Parkinson’s disease researcher

“With Parkinson’s disease, rhythm can help you walk and singing can help you speak”

A father and daughter on how Parkinson’s disease changed their lives

“The injustice of Parkinson’s motivates me”

How one family-run clothing company is “sharing the story of Parkinson’s”

Dance craze turned Parkinson’s app: the story behind Patana AI

“Exercise is important – but so is exercising the mind and soul”

“Not one of my friends realised you could get Parkinson’s disease so young”

sponsored article

“This is a condition you have to learn to live with”

The film that’s helping people to process their Parkinson’s disease diagnosis

3 Parkinson’s disease symptoms you need to know about

“Even Muhammad Ali had a learning curve”

5 filmmakers on making movies about Parkinson’s disease

“The darker aspects of Parkinson’s are rarely discussed”

“I do not let Parkinson’s diagnosis define who I am”

6 New Year’s resolutions from Parkinson’s community

Celebrating the holidays: tips from the global Parkinson’s community

The Covid Chronicles: connecting performers with Parkinson’s disease

“The lockdown has affected people with Parkinson’s in India immensely”

Portraits of young onset Parkinson’s