At age fifty-one, Philip Donaldson noticed a tremor in his thumb and forefinger, and a kink in his neck he assumed was a pinched nerve. When it didn’t go away, he tried chiropractic treatments, but the symptoms persisted. Philip and his wife Katheryn kept looking for answers, until last year they were introduced to Dr. Philip Tipton, M.D. at the Mayo Clinic, who correctly diagnosed Philip’s condition as Parkinson’s, a chronic and progressive disease of the central nervous system. It took four years from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis, a story that, it turns out, is not uncommon. Initially, Philip was in denial. This was the kind of thing that happened to someone else, not me,” he said.
Philip and Katheryn were blessed with faith and support from friends and family, but they needed to find people who knew the road they were walking. Their outreach led them to Gregg Hummer, President of Jax Hope, Inc., a local organization with a network of friends, support groups, and workout teams across the First Coast, dedicated to providing resources to people with Parkinson’s.
The Donaldsons joined a support group in Fleming Island, but decided to start a new group, as an addition to the Jax Hope family. The Mandarin group began meeting in October in the couple’s home, with fifteen people in attendance. Now they meet on the second Sunday of each month at the Church of Eleven 22.
Jax Hope’s network includes support groups in nine locations, along with exercise groups keeping patients alert and active, crucial keys to slowing the progression of the disease. Katheryn is becoming a certified fitness instructor and leading an exercise class for those with Parkinson’s, Thursdays from 6 to 7p.m. at the church.
When asked about an upside to his experience, Philip quipped, “It’s making me exercise more… forcing me to reevaluate my diet and exercise, to stay as healthy as I can for as long as I can.”
Jax Hope welcomes volunteers to lead new groups in other parts of town. “There are some twenty-five thousand people with Parkinson’s in Jacksonville. We want them to know they can get support, and live their best lives, with friends who understand their struggles”, Katheryn said.
“When you get any disease, the diagnosis changes your life. But rather than letting depression set in, we can find people like us and be inspired.” Katheryn and Philip are good examples of people who are staying positive and helping others, says Gregg. Meanwhile, the search for a cure continues, and the news is hopeful.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative played a pivotal role in the breakthrough discovery in 2023 of a biomarker test that makes it possible for the first time to diagnose Parkinson’s even before symptoms begin. Scientists believe a number of approaches currently in clinical trials could lead to therapies that may slow or stop Parkinson’s, something no therapy has yet been able to do.
Philip’s advice is to learn the signs, and if you experience symptoms, see a doctor. “Early treatment means you can take preventative measures sooner. Don’t stop living, find your new normal. You’re not alone”, he concludes.
Learn more and find a group near you at jaxhopeinc.org.
