It is often said that music brings people together, and for Janet and her music therapist, Tiana, this could not be more true. The two women, both from Nanaimo, have a very special relationship that has carried them through many chapters, both before and after Janet’s...
In 2017, Julie Dove embarked on the adventure of a lifetime when she and her husband, newly empty nesters, bought a boat to sail around the world for five years. Active by nature, she had always been drawn to movement and the...
Colleen Friesen and her husband Kevin Redl live with their dog Baxter in Kimberley, BC. They enjoy traveling, but in the spring of 2024, on a walking trip in Spain, Colleen was unable to finish. Her legs would not cooperate. By May of 2024, just before her 64th...
Suzanne Van't Haaff built her life around food, family, and community, but at age 58, a Parkinson’s disease (PD) diagnosis reshaped everything she thought she knew about the future. Trained as a chef in Scotland as a teenager, Suzanne immigrated to...
For people living with Parkinson’s disease (PD), support can come in many forms. For Dr. Jonathan Squires, a neurologist and movement disorder specialist, and his husband, Dam Dumsha, founder and president of an improv company, it comes from the...
When 17-year-old high school student Ella Strachan from Chetwynd, BC set out to complete her grade 12 capstone project, no one could have anticipated the extent of its success. Intended to introduce students to real-world learning, the...
Last year, we shared Ross McGaw’s story in Good News. Since then, Ross has started Duodopa® therapy, and we are pleased to provide an update on his progress below. You can read his earlier story here. Ross McGaw’s journey with Parkinson’s disease (PD) has been...
When David Walker sees himself in the gym mirror doing bicep curls, he does not see a guy with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The lifelong exercise enthusiast sees resilience, creativity, and gratitude – the values that have always defined him. Born in Portrush,...
The Hiebert family have been long-time supporters of Parkinson SuperWalk. Al and his wife, Peggy, lived in Kelowna when Al was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) in 2003. Like many facing a new diagnosis, they were looking for a community of individuals on...
