Q & A with Sharon's son, George. Episode 246 Special Guest: Karen Frank, Davis Phinney Foundation скачать в хорошем качестве

Q & A with Sharon's son, George. Episode 246 Special Guest: Karen Frank, Davis Phinney Foundation

Listen to The TogetherForSharon® Podcast on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/4qtP... My successful career as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist came to a crashing end with the unexpected diagnosis of young onset Parkinson's disease at the age of 47. I struggled in those early years after diagnosis with redefining myself. What comes next after such a dramatic and unexpected change in life? It was difficult in the beginning to even comprehend the profound grief that came along with my loss of identity and overwhelming fears about what my future might hold. Having watched my father live and die with this disease, I was filled with worry, fear, and uncertainty. Having been sober most of my life, I found myself struggling once again with my own sobriety and mental health. Slowly but surely, I began embracing my new reality, gaining perspective, recommitting to my mental health and sobriety, and focusing outside of myself with a heart and passion to help others. I started a national support group for those living with Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease. I continue to use my experience, strength and hope to help others navigate their own personal challenges. As an Ambassador for the Davis Phinney Foundation since 2019, I have shared my unique perspective as a valued panelist on a variety of topics, ranging from dealing with anxiety and depression, living with YOPD, navigating PD from a woman’s perspective, and living in recovery from alcoholism and addiction in the setting of Parkinson’s disease. As a panelist on the Davis Phinney Foundation “Parkinson’s Meetup,” we talk about all the things that break loose, go wrong, make you laugh, make you cry, go right, go weird, and everything in-between. It’s the hour of truth about Parkinson’s that you never knew you needed. I use my sense of humor in taking a candid approach toward dealing with and managing the darker side of Parkinson’s and learning to find joy in life, despite profound challenges. I am not afraid to talk about subjects that many others find difficult. I share my unique gift of using my personal vulnerability and resilience to inspire others, while discussing the taboo and difficult realities of PD. In addition to my contributions above, I work tirelessly in my local community to educate health care professionals and those touched by Parkinson’s about resources available to them. I launched into fundraising as an event founder and organizer of “Pedal in Place at the Race,” a stationary cycling event at the Gateway Cup criterium final of the American Criterium Cup. “Pedal in Place at the Race” supports the Davis Phinney Foundation’s many programs, including Pedaling for Parkinson’sTM. I use this platform to introduce my community to the importance of high-quality exercise and high cadence cycling to significantly reduce the symptom burden of Parkinson’s. I successfully raised over $60K in our first year. I continue to run and grow this event, and we have been invited back as a permanent charity partner at the Gateway Cup. I also serve as a member of the Development committee of the Davis Phinney Foundation. When I am not busy with my work as an Ambassador and Event Director of Pedal in Place at the Race, I enjoy spending time with family, writing poetry, traveling, gardening, biking, and playing with my two dogs, Ringo and Ginger. https://davisphinneyfoundation.org/am...   / karen-frank-8672b0192   ‪@davisphinneyfdn‬ ‪@TheParkinsonsConnectionYouTube‬