Share:

During the past decade of living with this challenging disease, as a fitness professional and a patient, I have often been asked various questions about exercise and PD.  When first diagnosed, I was told by a doctor, “there will be a cure in 5 to 10 years.” Guess what?  There isn’t a cure yet. Doctors, pharmaceuticals, researchers, and political figures all say, “We are working on it.  It is right around the corner.” 

I must admit, I am tired of hearing these answers and have realized they do not have a sense of urgency.  They are not living with this disease every day. I and millions of others in this world live with it every day. It is not fun; it is not easy. We need to feel better now.  We need the Cure now. Every 300 people you see, one has PD. We need to work harder on finding this cure.

I often think about who I can rely on to help, and what I can do to help this cause. Over the years, I have learned that I need to be an advocate for myself. Michelle Hespeler must focus on Michelle Hespeler. I have become selfish in many ways. I spend money on training, supplements, traveling to doctors, purchasing equipment, and anything I need to stay healthy. I have a great support system of family and friends. I have learned that negative people or activities have no place in my life. I need to keep myself healthy emotionally and physically to live a full life with my husband, kids and everyone else important in my life. If I don’t focus on my health, I am afraid of what will happen. 

This brings me to another very important person in my life that has been my cheerleader from day one. On April 20, 2007, Dr. J. Antonelle de Marcaida told me I had Parkinson’s Disease. I stared at her in disbelief, with Karl by my side, offering support as always. I will never forget that day. On that day, Dr. D. was not my favorite person. She just told me news that made me think my life was ruined forever. She seemed so confident and calm, while I stood in her office, staring into space and a crippled mess. I left that day with a heavy heart and very confused. 

Eleven years later, I call her my cheerleader and my friend. Over the course of this time, she has shown me her kindness, her perseverance, her dedication and her passion for fighting for people with Parkinson’s disease. She fights for clinical trials, she fights for wellness programs, she attends our fundraising events, she is building a state of the art Parkinson’s Wellness Program, she fights to have the disease portrayed properly in the media, and she even has work meetings on Sundays!  Dr. D cares about her patients and truly wants to make our lives better. I believe in Dr. D. to do the right thing.  I believe Dr. D has a mission that supports people with Parkinson’s.

I believe Dr. D will help us all live a better life with this disease. With sincere gratitude, I commend her for dedicating herself to help the PD Community. She has worked tirelessly on our behalf.

Hartford HealthCare
The Ayer Neuroscience Institute
The Chase Family Movement Disorders Center

J. Antonelle de Marcaida, MD
Michelle Lavallee-Dagostine, MD
Duarte Goncalves Machado, MD

  • Hartford HealthCare is the first in Connecticut and among the first in New England to offer the most advanced Deep Brain Stimulation technology for patients with PD and essential tremor.  Click here for more details.
  • They have participated in cutting-edge research through clinical trial support. They are actively part of 4 trials.
  • Supports and promotes numerous wellness programs at The Chase Family Movement Disorder Center in Vernon location. Classes offered include Dance for PD, Tai Chi, and Beat Parkinson’s Today.
  • Offer many services at one location for convenient and efficient use by patients.
    • Dementia Services
    • Urology
    • Gastroenterology
    • Dermatology
    • Rehabilitative Services
    • Integrative/Holistic Medicine
    • Home Care
    • Palliative Care
  • State of the Art Diagnostic Tools
  • Educational Programs by Offering Workshops and Presentations

Click here for more information regarding the Chase Family Movement Disorder Center.

tracking