“Parkinson's has made me a more well-rounded person. The best lesson I learned is humility,” Richard Mayede says reflecting on his journey with Parkinson’s disease. Since 2015, PSBC Board Member, Richard Mayede has been a valued active member of the Parkinson Society...
Inspirational Stories
Lynda Bennett
Apr 9, 2020 | Inspirational Stories
April 19-25 marks National Volunteer Week in 2020. Parkinson Society British Columbia (PSBC) relies on the dedication and support of volunteers across the province, who help facilitate our support groups, organize Parkinson SuperWalk in their communities, and put on...
Volunteer Profile: PJ & Kim Burns
Jun 18, 2019 | Inspirational Stories
PJ and Kim Burns have a saying that they hold close: “No guilt, no shame, and no excuses.” When Kim’s husband, PJ, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) in 2015, at age 52, they turned to Parkinson Society BC (PSBC) for information and resources....
Musings on a life with Parkinson’s disease
Jun 11, 2019 | Inspirational Stories
Diagnosis: What the ???? I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1993 at the Movement Disorders Clinic at UBC. I was 46, and had two little girls (Megan and Kathleen), a dog (Raven), and my husband (Allan). First line of defense: shoot the messenger “There was no...
Volunteer Profiles: Peggy Mutch
Mar 19, 2019 | Inspirational Stories
In the spring of 2002, Peggy Mutch became a second-generation person with Parkinson’s (PwP), her mother being the first in the family. Her friends and family have acted as a great support system from the point of diagnosis and throughout her journey. She has also...
Volunteer Profile: Edith Elliott
Jan 16, 2019 | Inspirational Stories
Edith Elliott has been an integral supporter of Parkinson Society BC (PSBC) for almost a decade. Her Parkinson’s journey began in 2004 when her husband, Morris, was diagnosed with the disease. Recalling that time, Edith says “we had no idea what this disease was or...
Shifting Gears
Jan 3, 2019 | Inspirational Stories
In March 2017, Lois Leslie and Paul Gully set out to cycle across three continents to raise funds and awareness for Parkinson’s disease, in honour of their dear friend, Marg de Grace. This trip was intended to complete a circumnavigation of the globe by bicycle, begun...
Full Throttle’s Jim Smerdon discusses YOPD & Motorcycles
May 8, 2018 | Inspirational Stories
You might recognize Jim Smerdon from Parkinson Society BC’s (PSBC) 2016 Awareness Campaign, This is Parkinson’s disease. If you have been to Parkinson SuperWalk in Vancouver, you might remember his family’s team, Show me the Smerdons, which was consistently...
Angela Wensley talks about her experiences with Parkinson’s disease
Apr 18, 2018 | Inspirational Stories
The following is a brief interview with a community member with Parkinson's disease named Angela Wensley (pictured above). She agreed to participate as part of Parkinson Society BC's awareness efforts in 2018. 1. You track your Parkinson’s disease (PD) symptom...