News last summer that a Parkinson’s Disease specialist had visited the White House on eight occasions led to widespread speculation that Biden had Parkinson’s Disease (PD); that his stumbling to find words, staring off into space and forgetfulness was all due to “dementia.”
For the Parkinson’s community, already fighting against stigma surrounding the disease, the news meant even more anxiety and fears of ostracization and discrimination, especially for younger people living people with PD
“Are you going to have dementia?” Esther Labib’s 11-year-old son asked the 49-year-old Texas mother living with PD. Life is hard enough “raising my kids with Parkinson’s while the whole world says it makes you incompetent,” she posted on X. “It’s a disease, not a slur.”
She was not alone, as PD patients railed against the “ageist and ableist” public perception and further amplified the misconception of a disease for “old white men in wheelchairs.”
“In our highly charged political climate, PD went from a neurodegenerative diagnosis to a weaponized insult in a matter of minutes,” says Allie Signorelli, a Washington, D.C., patient. The damage has been done from how the media mishandled this issue and that “those of us living with the disease are left to defend ourselves and our own abilities, something we have sadly grown accustomed to already,” she wrote in a blog past.
Larry Gifford, an advocate living with PD based in Vancouver and founder of the PD Avengers, says he felt what happened to Biden made him want to “defend and protect the Parkinson’s community.”
“When you see the entire media machine taking shots at someone who may have the disease, it’s like a curse word, he says, adding that it is disheartening. This type of framing will “keep people in the PD closet for longer” and “make people hide their diagnosis.”
Gifford, a veteran radio host, founded PD Avengers in 2022. It is an international group of patient advocates and those that support them and has established a thriving online community that meets monthly to prioritize issues related to people with Parkinson’s. They, along with physicians and researchers, have been lobbying for change, including the recent banning of TCE and Perc by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. These toxins have been associated with a 500 per cent increased risk of getting PD.
PD Avengers tries to counter the PD “fearmongering” campaign with vetted, accurate information to increase disease awareness and feature positive images of people who are not only living but thriving with the disease.
She thought that she would “lose her mind and die.”
It seeks to rebrand the disease with younger, more diverse and more vital profiles that reflect the resilience and positive energy in the Parkinson’s community, says Gifford. Having images of peers that look like them and are doing well goes a long way to creating hope and supporting newly diagnosed patients living with PD worldwide.
PD stigma is especially severe in younger onset patients, women and racially minoritized populations and can lead to shame, self-blame, low self-esteem and poor quality of life. Given that an estimated 50 per cent of people living with PD hide their diagnosis, the PD community has worked to raise awareness of the fact that up to 20 per cent of the 1 million people living with PD in the U.S. have experienced symptoms before the age of 50, and 40 per cent of the 10 million people living with PD worldwide are women. According to the Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System, there were 12,500 new cases of PD diagnosed from 2019-2020 and more than 103,000 cases of PD in Canada.
Labib says when she was first diagnosed with PD, she thought that she would “lose her mind and die.” The image PD conjured in her mind was that of a disabled old man hunched over with a walker and that she could not find anyone else that looked like her.
She has since met some other women and young people living with PD who serve as her inspiration and a ray of hope. She has a renewed purpose and meaning in her advocacy work and says her mere presence on social media will help the next newly diagnosed PD patient “see what an active and full life with Parkinson’s can really be like for a young woman and mom.”
I’ve been living with Parkinson’s disease for quite some time, and for years, I struggled to find lasting relief. While medications offered some temporary help, the symptoms always returned and often worsened.Out of a mix of hope and hesitation, I decided to try an herbal treatment program from NaturePath Herbal Clinic. I’ll admit, I was skeptical at first. But around the fourth month, I began to notice real, steady progress.my tremors became less frequent the stiffness in my body eased My balance and coordination gradually improved It wasn’t an overnight transformation, but it was consistent and life changing. For the first time in years, I feel more in control of my body. I can move with greater freedom, sleep more peacefully, and enjoy daily activities without the constant discomfort I once accepted as normal.The improvement I’ve experienced physically, emotionally, and mentally has been nothing short of upliftings.If you’re exploring natural options for managing Parkinson’s, I wholeheartedly recommend looking into NaturePath Herbal Clinic. Their approach has made a real difference in my life, and I’m truly grateful I gave it a chance. www .naturepathherbalclinic. com
Parkinson’s disease is often viewed as a lifelong, degenerative condition with no possibility of reversal. For many, receiving this diagnosis feels like a life sentence. But is it truly incurable? Recently, I witnessed something that challenged this common belief. A close friend’s mother—who had been living with Parkinson’s for years—began to show remarkable improvement. This wasn’t the result of conventional treatment alone, but rather a natural program she started through Earth Cure Herbal Clinic, a resource we stumbled upon during an online search. Her symptoms didn’t just stabilize—they noticeably improved. Her mobility, energy levels, and overall well-being changed for the better. While every individual’s experience with Parkinson’s is unique, her progress gave us hope and sparked a deeper interest in alternative approaches to managing this condition. If you or someone you care about is navigating the challenges of Parkinson’s and seeking complementary or alternative treatments, I highly recommend exploring Earth Cure Herbal Clinic. They offer natural remission programs that may provide a different path forward—one that embraces healing from the inside out. You can learn more by visiting their website: www . earthcureherbalclinic .com.
I’m deeply grateful that my dad is no longer suffering. He battled Parkinson’s Disease and Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) for 8 years, during which we relied on Carbidopa-Levodopa, ACE Inhibitors, stem cell therapy, statins etc. While the medication helped initially, its effects wore off quickly, and his symptoms progressively worsened.Eventually, we were introduced to a treatment program from Earth Cure Herbal Clinic (ECHC), and the results have been life-changing. After completing the program, my dad’s symptoms significantly improved and ultimately disappeared. He’s now able to move freely, breathe properly with normal heart rate, he works now, and enjoys daily activities that were once impossible.I wholeheartedly recommend Earth Cure Herbal Clinic to anyone seeking alternative treatment options. You can learn more or contact them through their website: http://www.earthcureherbalclinic.com.
I am beyond grateful to be healthy again and deeply thankful to Earth Cure Herbal Clinic for their remarkable treatment that cured me of Parkinson’s disease and the herpes virus I struggled with for years. To everyone still facing health challenges, I pray you find your path to recovery soon. I truly believe that restoring your health is possible, and for me, the healing and renewal I experienced came through http://www.earthcureherbalclinic.com. I encourage you to reach out to them—I am confident their effective health protocols can help you, just as they helped me.
In 2019, I began experiencing symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, which was diagnosed in 2021. Among my severe symptoms were tremors, difficulty walking, weakness throughout my body, and stiffness and rigidity. My meds only provided temporary relief, so I decided to try other approaches and started the PD-5 treatment program from uine healthcentre . n et. With the help of this therapy regimen, I have seen significant improvements in my walking, balance, tremors, and appetite, and I have resumed my guitar playing again and sign my name as I had before Parkinson’s. I am incredibly grateful.
Dear Dr Indu Subramaniam
Thank you very much on your great work/Research on effects of loneliness on people living with PD. My wife diagnosed with PD in 2018 and now she is 68. She continues to work just to keep her usual work going as an IT support officer. She works from home and her mind occupation and body muscle movements. She is on Sinement 5 times a day and takes slow release when she goes to bed. Also takes azilect once. There is not much improvement as always drugs get used once you are on it for too long and the system and require more and more.
There are new natural / ayurvedic medication tried by induviduals such as PD-5 formula etc and hear improvements in PD patients. I am just wondering whether these natural medications are real and what is your opinion on this? would like to hear from you as a medical practioner in neurology. I live in Australia and would like more to hear on this PD – 5 formula?
My wife was diagnosed of Parkinson’s Disease at age 61. She had severe calf pain, muscle pain, tremors, slurred speech, frequent falls, loss of balance, difficulty in getting up from sitting position. She was put on Senemet for 6 months and then Siferol was introduced and replaced the Senemet. During this time span she was also diagnosed with dementia. She started having hallucinations and lost touch with reality. Last year, our family doctor started her on Uine Health Centre PD-5 formula, 2 months into treatment she improved dramatically. At the end of the full treatment course, the disease is totally under control. No case of dementia, hallucination, weakness, muscle pain or tremors. My wife is strong again and has gone on with her daily activities as I share this experience. I’m surprised a lot of PWP haven’t heard of PD-5 formula. we got the treatment from their website uinehealth centre . c om
The stigma surrounding Parkinson’s motivates the entire Parkinson’s Community. I have been managing Young-Onset Parkinson’s for 10 years. As a Parkinson’s advocate, I have seen many older patients working hard and fighting alongside those of us with Young-Onset Parkinson’s to live well. The Parkinson’s Community is diverse and vibrant.
Thank you, Indu, for being a dedicated advocate.