This past Saturday, March 5, 2016, the Parkinson's Association of Southwest Florida held their 17th annual one-mile walk in Naples, Florida. It is an annual fundraiser and encouragement-builder for the association and garnered at least 325 participants this year and over $20,000 raised.
I spoke with two walk veterans, Dan and Joel, who each had been in the last 15 or 16 annual walks - and they attested to the intrinsically positive value of the events and family-like connections that are everywhere.
My dad and I were also participants. Recall that back in November of 2015 (just a short five months ago), my father attended his first Rock Steady Boxing group on Marco Island in southwest Florida. In November 2015, I wrote Part 1 of this series on the Huffington Post and shared about my dad's joy at starting in this wonderful program in which he has been faithful for the last 3-4 months. For more, visit http://www.tinyurl.com/RockSteadyDoll.
Since November, my dad went from being an occasional attender to sold-out and enthusiastic veteran who looks forward to the group that now meets three-times a week: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. It's really been amazing to see dad and other 40+ group members grow. It also touches on a raw and visceral reality that Parkinson's is not particularly kind with people at first. But we must keep in mind that there is hope. Treatments including neurological work, appropriate medications, speech therapy, and exercise (including a program like Rock Steady Boxing) can help these amazing adults to have a chance to fight back and thrive.
The two amazing Rock Steady Boxing trainers - Gustavo and Deborah - ignite a sense of passion and empathy that is really contagious. Imagine me: I've flown across the country multiple times while making sure I come on a Rock Steady day so I could join dad for the program. I love the program too!
So what happened today?
Floridians from far and wide congregated for friendship and some opening remarks as well as a short bit of calisthenics to warm everyone up. Everyone also enjoyed a light breakfast to prepare for the walk that was to come. It really was a family atmosphere that continues to convey a sense of love and membership to everyone.
Before I talk about the one-mile event, let me give you a little background on what this historic achievement meant for my dad and me.
What did a One-Mile Walk mean for an and his son?
Let me share something with you. As a family member with a father who has Parkinson's, my brothers and sisters and I watched for 1-2 years as my dad gradually decreased in speed, agility, vocal strength and even to a degree reasoning power. I'm not 100% certain, but even in my opinion, his visual acuity was also affected prior to treatment. As a family, we were in shock and also had no idea what had happened. And the disease was moving incredibly fast too.
By an amazing act of providence, a doctor took a look at many things but among them was the probability of Parkinson's. For my dad, a slew of tests including blood-work and an MRI led to a diagnosis last autumn of Parkinson's.
At that exact time, Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes ran an amazing episode about Rock Steady Boxing and her husband Aaron Latham's success with the program.
Unstoppable, my family and I promoted Rock Steady Boxing and my dad took the idea and absolutely ran with it. I must say it was a part of his Michigan State Spartan heritage to be so bold, so unabashed about making a new step even if it was really hard at first. Since we keep meeting including members in his Rock Steady group and volunteers in the Parkinson's Association, I can only continue to be encouraged.
When dad started Rock Steady Boxing, he was slow on his feet and shuffled them with painstaking labor at each step. But he kept at it - and with the help other members joined the three-times a week enclave of committed Rock Steady folks.
Then over a few months, the dramatic took place. His laborious shuffle became a more well-balanced stride. But something even more exciting was at play, which Lesley Stahl's interview had pointed out. The purpose of the Rock Steady Program is to help people with Parkinson's to believe they can do things instead of believing they cannot.
Dad told me that he is so glad to be able to walk and talk again. And when I asked him what did it, he unflinchingly said with characteristic Doll-sparkle, "Boxing."
So on this past Saturday, one mile of sidewalks and pavement was a true test for everyone.
Here is the truth: My dad really did not think he could do it. But he was super-surprised and super-excited after he crossed the finish line. What happened? We believed he could finish and that positivity was contagious! Here is a video of my dad reaching the finish line "in record time!"
Video of Dad crossing the finish line!
Do you want to know what else happened? At the half-mile mark, my dad passed a group of four people: a couple and a few other individuals. He felt he could go faster. And faster. So he did.
I worked to keep up with him and even managed to get a few pictures along the way.
Pictures along the way
Pictures: (above) John Matthews and his wife; Trainer Deborah and her husband. (below) The 35+ group from Rock Steady Marco Island!
Pictures: (above) Walkers along their journey including Dominic, his assistant Alal, his wife Hildegard who pushing his wheelchair for him, and also the larger Rock Steady group.
Pictures: (above) My dad and I during the walk and the Trainer, Gustavo, after the finish line! (below) Dominic getting a high five from the Trainer, Deborah, and giving my dad a hug (or actually getting one).
Finishing the Walk in Triumph and with Gusto
Did you happen to notice what also happened in that video of my dad at the finish line. Did you see that no one was close behind him? Actually, dad had sped up so fast that he created a fifty-foot space cushion between himself and the group he had passed. His faith in himself had been increased by that much.
Not everyone in Rock Steady Boxing or in the larger brotherhood and sisterhood of people with Parkinson's is able to make quick strides of improvement. For each person, a level of dedication is matched by the beautiful heart that is making the effort. And there are friends all around. With that said, the wonderful thing is that improvement and at least stopping the disease is fully possible.
I spoke with John Matthews after the event (see picture of him and his wife, above). He was in a Naples News article about Rock Steady Boxing this past December. And John was excited too. The event was harder for him, but he gave it his all and participated to the absolute fullest extent that he could. Everyone gave their best!
One more exciting thing about the Parkinson's Association's annual walk is the level of empathy and care that everyone has for each other at these events and related ones during the year. No one was considered as having lost the race because everyone who came WAS A GUARANTEED WINNER!
Also, and for safety's sake I noticed volunteers in cars and at water stops who were continually engaging with everyone who was walking to make sure they were okay. Moreover, if anyone felt they needed to stop - there was love, help and support. '
My dad said he was amazed that he did not even come close to a threshold of pain, exhaustion, or even being overwhelmed by the effort during the walk. In fact, he said that his sessions at Rock Steady Boxing are more of a challenge physically than the one-mile walk had been. But the remarkable truth is that the bold accomplishment of the mile was an achievement for the body, soul, and mind. And again, everyone won!
And regarding the selfless nature of everyone who came, here's one example. One of the participants won a monetary raffle at the end of the walk - it was a couple hundred dollars - and she donated it back to the Parkinson's Association of Southwest Florida, to aid in all their important work. Amazing!
When my dad had finished, I asked him how he felt. Here is what he said:
Me: So, how would you describe the walk?Dad: Good.
Me: Any words to say now that you've finished?
Dad: Now it feels hot [it was cloudy and comfortable when we started and then the sun came out].Me: How difficult was it?
Dad: Not at all.Me: Do you think other people could do it?
Dad: Depends.Me: Do you think you could you have done it three months ago?
Dad: No.Me: But you did it now. Awesome job, I'm proud of you.
Successful events like this are all about making the effort and maintaining a heart that has hope. On the day before the walk, my dad had told me, "Tomorrow (the walk) is going to be fun." In other words, he already had that positive expectation in place before the event even began - we all need that kind of hope! And a special thanks surely goes to the Rock Steady group and leaders, to the Parkinson's Association of Southwest Florida, and mostly to Lesley Stahl & Aaron Latham, for sure, since they helped instill that positivity across our great land!