Hope Stories

Dale's Hope Story

Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003, 46-year-old Dale Ankenman was determined not to let it keep him off his bike. Considering his long list of credentials, including former U.S. Navy Submariner, qualified Army Ranger, scuba diver and parachutist, he wasn’t used to the idea of something he could not physically conquer. Read More »

Jim's Hope Story

Eight years into his battle with Parkinson’s disease, Jim wasn’t doing well. The medications he was taking no longer kept the tremors at bay, and sometimes, while walking, he would freeze in place, unable to take another step. Jim could no longer mow his lawn, a task he had always enjoyed, and he no longer was able to refinish old furniture, another of his hobbies. He was exhausted by the time dinner rolled around. “It was to the point where if I wasn’t showered and ready for bed by 6:30 or 7 in the evening, I probably wasn’t going to be showered,’ he said. Read More »

Mike's Hope Story

Imagine learning you have Parkinson’s Disease. At 26. Most Parkinson’s patients are diagnosed in their 60s. Yet in 1987, after three years of unexplained symptoms, Mike Pohl learned he had the degenerative disease. After a visit to the National Institutes of Health in Maryland, medication eased his symptoms. As is often the case, the drugs became less effective over time and Mike¹s symptoms – tremors, slowness of movement, rigidity and poor balance – gradually took over his life.  Read More »