I am quickly nearing the age of 50. To many of you reading this, 50 isn’t old. I don’t consider 50 old either, but I have had Parkinson’s disease since age 17, and that means I’ve had it for a long time.
When I was given my diagnosis at the age of 23, I was told by several people in the PD community that I would see a cure in 5 or at least 10 years. A quarter of a century later, I didn’t expect a cure but I had hoped science had developed better drugs, therapies, and that hospitals and retirement homes would have better understandings of how to care for people with this disease.
What is it going to take for the world to understand Parkinson’s disease? What is it going to take to develop new drugs with fewer side-effects? What is it going to take to get Parkinson’s disease seen as an illness that needs assistance, right NOW!
