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. Claudia wrote the blog post below.
I just finished a phone conversation with a friend in Chicago, whom I met at an MJFF Roundtable in the summer of 2011. He has young-onset Parkinson’s disease (YOPD), is about my age, and has a beautiful wife and children. I shall call him Pete (not his real name) and I felt compelled to call him tonight to see how he is doing with his PD.
So not like me, he's an athlete, a swimmer, health conscious and an alternative medicine-seeker. My idea of a personal marathon is a 30 minute brisk walk with my best friend Beth after dinner. But I am an avid reader, opinionated blogger, and volunteer. I am committed to Fox Trial Finder by encouraging clinical trial participation to whoever, whatever and whenever I can. Pete and I have different approaches to the same ailment: Parkinson’s disease.
And while I listen to his advice to adjust my lifestyle to include more PD-oriented health choices like diet and exercise, the one thing I will not change is my point of view on advocacy, education and clinical trial participation. If you swim 20 laps a day, run 5 miles, or adjust your diet to improve your PD symptoms, please consider going an extra mile: register and sign in at Fox Trial Finder and look at the many opportunities you have to make a difference. I am sure it will fuel your spirit and help you burn the PD apathy.
Yes, science can be scary - but trust me - not more scary than PD. The best way to face our fears is with resilience and a reality check: Do you want PD to continue haunting future generations? We can change that. The answer is, indeed, in all of us. Let's go and get 15,000 sign ups!!
To sign up today for Fox Trial Finder, visit www.foxtrialfinder.org.