I’m sharing an important opportunity from my YOPD friend, fellow advocate, and Davis Phinney Ambassador, Michelle Lane. Michelle and Shannon Coates are asking people diagnosed with Parkinson’s to “support and inspire” others in the Parkinson’s disease community by writing a “Dear Newly Diagnosed Me” letter and submitting the letter to Shannon at scoates@patientstudyconnect.
Please consider writing a letter for this inspirational effort and share this opportunity around your Parkinson’s community!
Dear Friends,
If you could go back to the day you were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, what would you tell yourself?
What advice would you share? What lessons have you learned? What do you wish someone had told you during those first days, weeks, or months?
Shannon Coates and I invite you to participate in “Dear Newly Diagnosed Me,” a heartfelt project that will bring together letters of hope, courage, wisdom, and encouragement from people living with Parkinson’s disease and those who love and support them.
Your letter can help newly diagnosed individuals feel less alone and more prepared for the journey ahead. Whether you have been living with Parkinson’s for a few years or several decades, your experiences, insights, challenges, successes, life hacks, and words of encouragement can make a meaningful difference in someone’s life.
We encourage you to write from the heart. There is no right or wrong way to tell your story. Share what you have learned, what has helped you, what surprised you, and what gives you hope today.
Submission Deadline: August 10, 2026
For more information or to submit your letter, please contact:
Shannon Coates
scoates@patientstudyconnect.
Thank you for considering this opportunity to support and inspire others in the Parkinson’s community. Your voice matters, and your story may be exactly what someone else needs to hear.
