Day 28: We Made It!

Congratulations! We have made it to the end of February. In case you hadn't noticed - especially if you hadn't noticed - this has been an excellent way to pass the month of February. February always seems to me like 28 repeated days of winter. They don't change much, but winter keeps dragging on and on... So, if nothing else, joining in this fitness challenge has had one spin-off benefit of keeping us occupied and making February speed up. Like, seriously, where did it go?

Many of the people I have spoken with have challenged themselves and accomplished their goals. Some didn't completely accomplish the goals, but they did more than they would have if they hadn't bothered at all. So, again, that's a "Win" in my books.

I also hope you have become more aware through this challenge of Parkinson's Disease, and of how exercise (including such things as weight-lifting, dancing, and even boxing) has a very positive impact on quality of life for people dealing with Parkinson's Disease.

I would LOVE to be able to say that activity and exercise could reverse the disease, and maybe one day we will be able to find ways to arrest and reverse neurodegenerative diseases. We're not there yet, but talented people, funded by ordinary people like us, are on the case. I am inspired by their dedication to the cause, and that is why I personally want to support research into Parkinson's Disease.

I am also inspired by people like my Mother who has been dealing with Parkinson's for nearly a decade. I know there is not yet a cure, and the disease itself cannot be reversed, but I can tell you that her simple decision a mere 14 months ago to join a fitness challenge, in a way which suited her abilities, has made a profound positive difference in her quality of life. Profound might not even capture it. She hasn't been recruited for the Canadian Olympic Sprint team, but as you may have read in her own story last week, she is feeling so much better. She has reclaimed a lot of ground which had been lost to inactivity and the accompanying process of seizing up.

Thanks, Mom, for your example.

Thanks, Dave and Kristi, for your enthusiasm.

Thanks, participants in the challenge, for your encouragement and support of the cause.

Thanks, Dr. Rajput (and Dr. Rajput), for your research and for your clinical support to all your Parkinson's patients.

Thanks, sponsors, for your financial support.

We'll see you back here next February. Mark it on your Calendar. And, if you'd like to stay in touch with us, sign up to follow us by email!


It's been fun.

Richard