In Honor of PD Awareness Month
As printed on the Johnson City News, April 16th, 2010…
April is Parkinson’s disease awareness month in Tennessee
Local woman takes Parkinson’s awareness to new heights
by Josh Mancuso
A Johnson City resident has a small part in an upcoming movie about Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s. Shortly after her 40th birthday in 2002, Judy Hensley was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, which is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that often impairs a person’s motor skills, speech, and other basic functions.
“I wasn’t feeling right and people noticed that I wasn’t swinging my left arm when I walked,” said Hensley. “I began limping and I had a little bit of ‘masked face,’ which is when the muscles in your face don’t work as well, and you have trouble showing expression.”
Another symptom of Parkinson’s is rigidity of the body and mild to excessive tremors, which Hensley also experiences. She continued working for five years after her diagnosis, but decided the stress was too much, and she left her job. “I can’t think and function as well as I used to,” said Hensley.
No cure has been found for Parkinson’s, but sufferers of the disease are treated with medication, such as Dopamine, which influences the motor and thinking areas of the brain.
“I feel more normal with the Dopamine and it helps with my symptoms,” said Hensley. “But, like
other medications, over time I have to take it in larger doses and more frequently.”
The upcoming movie, “10 Mountains 10 Years,” chronicles a team of mountain climbers, known as The Regulars, as they scale 10 of the highest mountain peaks in the world to raise awareness and money for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Beginning in 2006, the team has already reached the top of four mountains, including Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2009, which is the focus of the movie. The Regulars are led by renowned mountain climber, Enzo Simone.
“Ever since I read about The Regulars, I thought it was really cool,” Hensley said. “All of The Regulars have nicknames, and even though I’m physically unable to climb the mountains, I still got a nickname: In10sity.”
Hensley’s intensity is found in her dedication to raise awareness and find a cure for Parkinson’s. Her sister, Karen Smith, wrote a letter about Judy to The Regulars, and the team read the letter from the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro in the movie. Photos of Judy are also featured in the film, and the letter wasn’t the only thing of Judy’s that reached the top of the mountain.
“I bought this ugly multi-colored coat at a department store, thinking we might use it in a church skit or something,” said Hensley. “But I started getting photos of people wearing the coat just for fun, and it has become a really big thing. Everywhere I travel, I get pictures of
people wearing it, and I’ve even mailed it to people who wear it, take a picture, and mail it back. I have over 300 photos of different people wearing thecoat, and one of The Regulars took it up Mt. Kilimanjaro. I even got a picture of Enzo Simone wearing it when I met him in New York.”
Hensley has traveled to California, Oregon, Washington, and other places around the country meeting people who suffer from Parkinson’s disease. A few years ago she participated in a Parkinson’s Unity Walk in New York City, in which her team raised over $17,000 to help find a cure.
Judy in coat - Unity Walk 08 with Annie Konopka (NJ) and Janet Reno
“I’ve done a lot of traveling and have been more places that I ever would have been,” she said. “I don’t know if anyone has ever had this much fun with Parkinson’s. I’ve found a great community of people.”
Hensley’s story has also been featured in “Proud Hands,” a book that tells 28 inspirational stories of personal victories with Parkinson’s. She is also a contributing writer for an online blog at www.parkinsonsjourney.com, and has spoken to churches and other groups about the disease. In addition to the unique opportunities she has been given, Hensley declares her faith in God as a big factor in her ability to cope.
“A lot of Parkinson’s people I’ve met are Christians who rely on their faith,” she said. “I’ve had a lot of support from my family and church, and I don’t know what I’d do without that support. I’ve also become involved with support groups locally and online. I wouldn’t ask for Parkinson’s but I’ve accepted that it’s part of my life. I just ask the Lord to give me strength and courage to push through it.”
April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month in Tennessee, and Hensley encourages everyone to become involved with the fight against this disease.
“As more people know about it, more people can get involved, and maybe we can find a cure,” she said. “Everybody can do something to help – even just praying. And, you can always wear the multi-colored coat.”
For more information about Judy’s story, The Regulars, “10 Mountains 10 Years,” and Parkinson’s disease, visit www.parkinsonsjourney.com, www.proudhandsbook.com, www.theregulars.org, and www.michaeljfox.org. The Regulars and the movie are also accessible on Facebook.
One Response to “In Honor of PD Awareness Month”
Jeanette Hoffman on April 17, 2010
Way Cool!!!!!!!