Claudia Garrido-Revilla, 47, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in May 2010. She lives in Chicago with her husband and two sons and is an active participant in clinical research. An early registrant on Fox Trial Finder, Claudia was profiled in the Informed Patient column of the Wall Street Journal in April 2012.
Another step closer to the cure! It only shows the importance, relevance and willingness of the general population to find the cure for a disease that due to its obscure history, present and future can put almost anyone at risk.
After a long phone conversation with my mother to try to find if she had any idea of PD, tremors, balance or any type of movement disorder history in her family or in my dad's family. None. And here I am, struck by PD at 47 - it could have been lighting! As I try to trace back every year of my life to find a detonator, denominator, cause-and-effect, I can't find it. My childhood concussion? Living near areas where cropping was a common practice? Having children late in life or even eating too much ice cream maybe? Lots of unfounded theories due to my medical ignorance, or nicely put, unpreparedness, I end up back at square one.
And when you end up back at square one you go to where men has gone before - the Internet. After browsing sites that my common sense rejected, I found The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research Web site. My common sense rejected it in the beginning for one reason: What in the world would an actor/celebrity do for me - a commoner with PD? But after reading about the "miracle" cures of PD in Asia and Latin America for only $50,000 (!?!?), I almost gave up. I was tired of not finding what I was looking for and finally decided to click on the MJFF Web site. Not what I expected. Better. Much better. Impressed with its organization, fundraising, financial statements, transparency, and most of all - open research and development. I showed it to Carlos, my skeptic husband, who after reviewing every single detail as only an executive for 32 years would do, he agreed with me. So I decided that if I wanted something done right, I had to get involved, ask and participate, but never stand still. I have tried to educate myself on everything PD not just for me but to help raise awareness and the need for a cure.
Fox Trial Finder is my personal favorite project of all of the MJFF projects because it is the one that empowers you directly to participate and do something right now. It is the one where the volunteers are most needed because without them the possibility of bringing medications to the shelves is nil. Without volunteers the pharmaceutical companies wouldn't even bother doing research because they would never be able to prove if their theories work or don't. And as many successes are obtained, also many failures, all of them needed for the progress of science. Even the failures are successes in disguise because that way we know what does not work and it helps the progress of science - yes - the simply complicated process of trial and error.
One of the issues I can speak of, because I am a volunteer, is of my participation in clinical trials which has helped not just for its original purpose, but it also came with a side effect: wanting to keep going, giving me a sense of empowerment and encouraging me to continue fighting. And as a bonus, my clinical trial participation gave me the opportunity to reach out and spread the word, as well as the privilege to meet other PD brothers and sisters of all ages and walks of life.
As for Michael J. Fox - the founder (not the actor/celebrity) - the example of a man that has it all, including PD, using his resources to find the cure not just for himself but for all of us and on the way, learning just like the rest of us that PD does not define who you are, what you do or can't do, that it puts your life in a situation where you either decide to enjoy what you have while you have it or sit in a corner and whine. Doing nothing is the worst thing you can do. Get up and help, you will always get much more than what you give.
No, I haven't met the man, and don't need to. All I need to know is that the Foundation that bears his name will continue searching for the cure until it's found. But I am thankful for Mr. Fox's courage and example, and for his own personal interest in finding the cure for Parkinson's disease that led him to the creation this Foundation. Not so bad for an actor!
A funny thing happens to me all the time, here at home small town Peoria, IL. As all of my friends and all the people who know me are aware of my PD and of my participation with the MJFF, they stop me at the street, supermarket or the mall to tell me how happy they are that MJF is going to be back to TV and congratulate me - me...??? The last lady who did that got this response, "Well thank you, but you know, we are not married! But if I see him, I'll give him your good wishes." She just blushed. My best wishes for you all.
Sincerely,
Claudia Revilla
Fox Trial Finder Volunteer
Fox Trial Finder was developed by The Michael J. Fox Foundation to help people find opportunities to participate in Parkinson's clinical trials. Play a part in making breakthroughs possible. Find your trial matches and connect with trial teams on Fox Trial Finder today.