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Carlos Chase is one of many local people fighting to regain control of their lives.
“Parkinson’s doesn’t mean that this is the end, it’s a journey. And we keep our eyes and ears open to see that journey continue.”
Residents with Parkinson’s disease are trying to jab and juke their way to treat themselves through a program at Wesleylife in Pella called Rock Steady Boxing. Marlene Bryan at Hearthstone has been helping Parkinson’s patients through the course aimed to ease the impacts of the trembling disease.
“The repetition and movements help the range of motion and eliminates the tremors, and helps the steadiness on their feet, the balance, the rigidity that goes along with Parkinson’s,” she says.
Bryan says Rock Steady gives participants an opportunity to take a swing at their symptoms.
“The theme about this whole program, Rock Steady Boxing, was to fight back,” she says. “Once you get those gloves on, you’re in control, and this gives these participants a chance to be in control and fight the disease.”
“Putting the gloves on is powerful.”
Bill Bruxvoort is a participant in the class, and despite his diagnosis, has found that power by punching back at the disease.
“I’ve never been thankful that I have Parkinson’s, but I can honestly say I’ve been truly blessed by having Parkinson’s,” he says. “There’s a lot of ways that I feel like I’ve been truly blessed, and this going on here is one way.”
Hear more about Rocksteady boxing on today’s In Depth with Dr. Bob Leonard.