YOPD Panel: Navigating External Expectations with Parkinson’s

**Can’t make this date? Register to receive a link to the recording.**

Jennifer Parkinson Iljin is co-founder of Neuro-Wellness Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting those with Parkinson’s, Stroke and other neurological disorders in fighting back through non-contact boxing and other wellness therapies.

In 2005, Jennifer was diagnosed with young onset Parkinson’s disease at age 32. Jennifer is a PD advocate, boxing coach, mother of 2 children, now 20 & 23. In 2019, she co- founded Neuro-Wellness Alliance with her husband Pablo.

Miguel Sanchez worked as an Aviation Electrician for the Coast Guard in his 20’s, and was honorably discharged in 1992. He then worked as a film and TV lighting technician before taking an early retirement in 2015; five years after his diagnosis.

He loves spending time with family, road trips, storytelling, reading, writing, and photography.

Nathan Ward is a 38-year-old husband and father of two. At the age of 26 after being diagnosed with PD, he went into years of depression and decline.

Since 2017, his mission has been to help himself and others live, think, and move well with this disease. He serves as lead trainer at MotorvationUSA; drawing from skills he picked up as a lifelong athlete, former 911 dispatcher, and exercise pro with PD to empathetically aid clients in rediscovering vigor for life.

Patrice Rifkind worked as an audioloogist for many years — retiring at 60 due to her increasing symptoms of PD.

She lives in Santa Rosa, CA with her husband Ken; closer to family! She exercises almost daily, serves as a PD mentor, and participates in several support groups to help others stay active.

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This event is part of PCLA’s “Let’s Talk Parkinson’s” series of live online events.

Special thanks to our program sponsors Abbott, Acadia and Boston Scientific for making this series possible. Learn more about PCLA at www.pcla.org.