When Life Gives You Parkinson’s

In this episode of "When Life Gives You Parkinson's," Larry and Rebecca dive into Larry's upcoming Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery. They introduce Dr. Chris Honey, the neurosurgeon who will perform the procedure the brain surgeon. Dr. Honey breaks down what to expect and the possible risks of DBS, stressing the importance of picking the right surgeon and keeping a positive mindset. After the surgery, the plan is to use the DBS device to replicate Larry's best moments on medication, with the hope of eventually cutting down or even ditching the meds. The episode also brings in Tim Hague Sr., who shares his experience with the medication challenge, underlining just how much Levodopa (medication) can make a world of difference for folks dealing with Parkinson's. The podcast wraps up with a chat about making essential medications accessible worldwide and some cool facts about DBS. Check out these videos of Larry's OFF CHALLENGE My Eye Opening DBS "Off Challenge" https://youtu.be/GrlCmrHbtb0?si=PGRaESoYWMt4L5Uc The Power of Levodopa https://youtu.be/Mg91r2hT6p4?si=xFgVhnCSiRX8haLZ Thank You to: Neurosurgeon Dr. Christopher Honey www.DrHoney.com Nurse Nancy at the Vancouver Coastal Health DBS Clinic   Tim Hauge Sr. www.TimSr.ca founder of www.uturnparkinsons.org www.pdavengers.com TV Show House Heel & Toe Films Shore Z Productions Bad Hat Harry Productions Moratim Produktions NBC Universal Television (2004-2007) Universal Media Studios (UMS) (2007) The Brain Surgeon - That Mitchell & Webb Look , Series 3 - BBC Two MAIL Larry and Rebecca: [email protected] Have a topic or questions that you would like Larry & Rebecca to address on a future episode? We would love you to click here and leave a message https://www.speakpipe.com/WhenLifeGivesYouParkinsons Follow us, Larry & Rebecca Gifford  Facebook: Facebook.com/ParkinsonsPod Instagram: @parkinsonspod Twitter: @ParkinsonsPod Thanks to Curiouscast Dila Velazquez – Story Producer Greg Schott – Sound Design Our Presenting Partner is Parkinson Canada. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s? You are not alone. Contact presenting partner Parkinson Canada http://www.parkinson.ca/, call the toll free hotline 1-800-565-3000 or on Twitter you can message @ParkinsonCanada. Thanks also to    PD Avengers – We are building a global alliance to end Parkinson’s. Join us.    

Hosts Larry and Rebecca Gifford are preparing for Larry's DBS surgery scheduled for October 24, 2023. During the evaluation for DBS surgery. Larry needed to completely go off meds for at least 12 hours. The medical team tests motor symptoms while OFF levodopa and then after taking a dosage and waiting forty minutes repeat the tests. Evaluators were looking for a 40% or more difference in my motor symptoms from OFF to ON. It was truly revelatory to see just how much levodopa, the medication commonly used for Parkinson's, impacts daily life. MAIL Larry and Rebecca: [email protected] LEAVE US A MESSAGE: Have a topic or questions that you would like Larry & Rebecca to address on a future episode? We would love you to click here and leave a message  https://www.speakpipe.com/WhenLifeGivesYouParkinsons WATCH: Here is a link to see a comparison of Larry ON Levodopa and OFF levodopa Follow us, Larry & Rebecca Gifford  Twitter: @ParkinsonsPod Facebook: Facebook.com/ParkinsonsPod Instagram: @parkinsonspod Thanks to Curiouscast Dila Velazquez – Story Producer Greg Schott – Sound Design Our Presenting Partner is Parkinson Canada. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s? You are not alone. Contact presenting partner Parkinson Canada http://www.parkinson.ca/, call the toll free hotline 1-800-565-3000 or on Twitter you can message @ParkinsonCanada. Thanks also to    PD Avengers – We are building a global alliance to end Parkinson’s. Join us. www.pdavengers.com

Donate to the World Parkinson Coalition to support this and future World Parkinson Congresses. World Parkinson Congress 2023 (WPC2023) was a true testament to unity and shared vision. It saw the participation of more than 2,600 people, drawn from 73 countries, all converging under one roof with one common objective: unraveling the mysteries of Parkinson's. This assembly comprised nearly a thousand medical doctors and researchers, 450 registered nurses, therapists, and other clinicians, 685 brave individuals living with Parkinson's, and 260 dedicated care partners and family members. In this episode, Larry and Rebecca share their experiences and discuss some of the most poignant lessons, enlightening stories, and groundbreaking revelations from the congress. They will introduce you people making a difference in their local communities and the world stage. KEY LINKS Our Presenting Partner is Parkinson Canada. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s? You are not alone. Contact presenting partner Parkinson Canada http://www.parkinson.ca/, call the toll free hotline 1-800-565-3000 or on Twitter you can message @ParkinsonCanada. Tight Rope Theatre Improv for Parkinson’s – Sign up NOW for fall classes “Improv for Parkinson’s” – no experience necessary. The PwP Improv Players Arne Johansen Clara Kluge Larry Gifford Miriam Bram Peter Jarvis Shabbir Latif Dan Dumsha, Director -- Improv for Work & Wellness Rosemary Morrison – Improv for Wellness Coordinator Donate to help support the Amazing Rosemary who organized the Improv for Parkinson’s troupe and found a theatre for us to perform in while in Barcelona. PD Avengers – We are building a global alliance to end Parkinson’s. Join us. World Parkinson Congress WHO iSupport Thanks to: Julie Worden, Brooklyn, NY Dance for PD Jane Williams London, KY Parkinson’s in Motion Amy Lavalle, Brian Grant Foundation www.briangrant.org Geoff Constable, Melbourne, Australia www.fightparkinsons.org.au WLGYP: What's your superpower? Tina Gillespie, South Australia, Australia Parkinson’s South Australia Craig Gillespie, South Australia, Australia Parkinson’s South Australia Sheena Botrill – South Australia, Australia Parkinson’s South Australia  Eric Aquino, Eastern Pennsylvania Gray Strong Foundation – Trembling EMT Podcast  Dr. Tash (Natasha) Fothergill-Misbah Newcastle University Joy Milne, Ted X Manchester This Nurse Can Smell Parkinson’s Disease WLGYP: A 3-minute test for a Parkinson’s diagnosis WLGYP: World Parkinson Congress – Day 2 (Kyoto) Paul Mayhew Archer Incurable Optimist WLGYP: They say laughter is the best medicine Donate to the World Parkinson Coalition to support this and future World Parkinson Congresses. MAIL Larry and Rebecca: [email protected] Have a topic or questions that you would like Larry & Rebecca to address on a future episode? We would love you to click here and leave a message  https://www.speakpipe.com/WhenLifeGivesYouParkinsons Follow us, Larry & Rebecca Gifford  Twitter: @ParkinsonsPod Facebook: Facebook.com/ParkinsonsPod Instagram: @parkinsonspod Thanks to Curiouscast Dila Velazquez – Story Producer Greg Schott – Sound Design

Larry & Rebecca Gifford dive into the growing interest and research being conducted around red light and infrared light laser therapy for Parkinson’s disease. In Hamilton, Ontario PD Avenger and care partner Lorna Dueck, a retired radio and TV host, visits Gaitway Physical Therapy. She interviews physiotherapist Orla Hares and research assistant Jenna Sykes. Intrigued, Larry tracks down the CEO of Symbyx Biome, Dr. Wayne Markman of Australia, to discuss the handheld laser being used on the gut and vagus nerve and the infrared helmet – both designed to reactivate the mitochondria inside the dopamine cells.  and learns more about the research, science and tradition of therapy of light which dates back to Florence Nightingale in the 1850s. KEY LINKS Symbyx Biome https://symbyxbiome.com/en-ca CEO Wayne Markman featured in Forbes Australia ·        Find out how this Australian med-tech company is tackling Parkinson’s disease Gaitway Physical Therapy https://gaitwayneurophysio.com/research/ Lorna Dueck https://lornadueckcreative.com/ ·        Context Beyond the Headlines: Lorna Dueck’s journey through Parkinson’s with her beloved Vern. Her final appearance as host of the TV Show featuring PD Avengers founders Soania Mathur, Tim Hague Sr, and Larry Gifford. APDA Light Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease MAIL Larry and Rebecca: [email protected] Have questions, comments, or a story idea? We would love you to click here and leave a message  https://www.speakpipe.com/WhenLifeGivesYouParkinsons Follow us, Larry & Rebecca Gifford  Twitter: @ParkinsonsPod Facebook: Facebook.com/ParkinsonsPod Instagram: @parkinsonspod Thanks to Curiouscast Dila Velazquez – Story Producer Greg Schott – Sound Design Our Presenting Partner is Parkinson Canada. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s? You are not alone. Contact presenting partner Parkinson Canada http://www.parkinson.ca/, call the toll free hotline 1-800-565-3000 or on Twitter you can message @ParkinsonCanada. Thanks also to our content and promotional partners The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s landmark study Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI)    PD Avengers – We are building a global alliance to end Parkinson’s. Join us. World Parkinson Congress 2023 – It’s time to make your congress and hotel registrations. Details on the website.  Spotlight YOPD – One of the only Parkinson’s organizations dedicated to raising awareness for Young Onset Parkinson’s disease and funds for the Cure Parkinson’s Trust.  

The banner headline on the homepage of the Michael J. Fox Foundation’s website reads “Breaking News: Parkinson’s Disease Biomarker Found.” It sounds exciting, but what does it really mean? Debi Brooks, CEO and cofounder of The Michael J. Fox Foundation, joins Larry Gifford for a chat about what she says is the most important finding the Foundation has discovered in its history. It is already changing the way researchers recruit for some studies. It will lead to faster diagnosis, more customized and personalized treatment, faster, cheaper, more targeted pharmaceuticals, and ultimately it is another step closer to stopping Parkinson's in its tracks. Important Links The Lancet Neurology Article The Michael J. Fox Foundation Coverage of the Biomarker PPMI: The Study That's Changing Everything STAT Article featuring Michael J. Fox's reaction Michael J. Fox Op-Ed for STAT The Presenting Partner is Parkinson Canada... where people with Parkinson’s are at the centre of everything they do. Parkinson Canada funds critical research, provides information and support, increases awareness and advocates for improved healthcare outcomes for people with Parkinson's across Canada. Learn more at Parkinson.ca Thank you to our promotional partners Spotlight YOPD PD Avengers World Parkinson Congress 2023 in Barcelona

Trichloroethylene (TCE). You cannot see it or smell it. It could be in the air you breath, the water you drink, and the food you eat. It is a carcinogen and is linked to clusters of cancer and Parkinson’s. In Journal of Parkinson’s Disease, Dr. Ray Dorsey at the University of Rochester and eleven colleagues have published a research article asking the question “Is Trichlorethylene an invisible cause of Parkinson’s?” The authors go on to make a convincing case. Dr. Dorsey joins the podcast to explain the dangers of TCE, how it seeps into ground water, your home, schools, and office buildings, how to protect yourself, and where you can look to see if a TCE Superfund site is near where you live.  KEY LINKS BOOK: ENDING PARKINSON’S DISEASE; A PRESCRIPTION FOR ACTION JOURNAL OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE (SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL)  Trichloroethylene: An Invisible Cause of Parkinson’s Disease? THE GUARDIAN (UK) Rates of Parkinson’s disease are exploding. A common chemical may be to blame (TCE) Secret files suggest chemical giant feared weedkiller’s link to Parkinson’s disease (Paraquat) NEW YORK NEWSDAY (NY/USA) A NEWSDAY INVESTIGATION: The Grumman Plume; Decades of Deceit CBS MORNING (USA) Service members and families affected by toxic water at Camp Lejeune Marine base still seeking justice decades later LOS ANGELES TIMES (CA/USA) Is a common industrial chemical fueling the spread of Parkinson’s disease? THE TORONTO STAR (ON/CAN) Dry cleaning chemical linked to Parkinson’s in international study (2011/Canada) DAYTON DAILY NEWS (OH/USA) VOICES: How toxic industrial spills have contaminated our groundwater EPA FACT SHEET | TRICHLOROETHYLENE EPA SUPERFUND HOME PAGE  WIKIPEDIA CANADIAN FEDERAL CONTAMINATED SITES INVENTORY (FCSI) CONTAMINATED SITES HOMEPAGE Much gratitude for your content A Civil Action: Touchstone Pictures, Paramount Pictures, and Wildwood Enterprises, Inc  SaferChemicals on YouTube WATCH “TOXIC CHEMICAL LOBBY: EXCLUSIVE LEAKED FOOTAGE” EMAIL Larry and Rebecca: [email protected] Have questions, comments, or a story idea?  We would love you to click here and leave a message https://www.speakpipe.com/WhenLifeGivesYouParkinsons Follow us, Larry & Rebecca Gifford  Twitter: @ParkinsonsPod Facebook: Facebook.com/ParkinsonsPod Instagram: @parkinsonspod Thanks to Curiouscast Dila Velazquez – Story Producer Greg Schott – Sound Design Our Presenting Partner is Parkinson Canada. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s? You are not alone. Contact presenting partner Parkinson Canada http://www.parkinson.ca/, call the toll free hotline 1-800-565-3000 or on Twitter you can message @ParkinsonCanada. Thanks also to our content and promotional partners  The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s landmark study Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI)   PD Avengers – We are building a global alliance to end Parkinson’s. Join us.  World Parkinson Congress 2023 – It’s time to make your congress and hotel registrations. Details on the website.  Spotlight YOPD – One of the only Parkinson’s organizations dedicated to raising awareness for Young Onset Parkinson’s disease and funds for the Cure Parkinson’s Trust.