Dr. Gregg Busch
Tucson, Arizona
I was officially diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2018 after more than a decade of fairly mild symptoms including a slight tremor in my hand. Unfortunately, by 2018 my Parkinson’s was getting markedly and quickly worse. On the bright side, I lived in Tucson, AZ, home to world-class treatment for people with Parkinson’s Disease. Since, I have learned much about living a fruitful life with Parkinson’s, while my symptoms continue to worsen, naturally progressing, I have been able to return to my purpose-driven mission of helping make lives better. I am a dual graduate of West Virginia University, School of Medicine and the College of Human Services and Education. I accepted early retirement in 2023 as a college president and as a liaison for The White House Rural Stakeholders Initiative. Unfortunately, I am too familiar with Parkinson’s Disease with my mother, five of her siblings, and her father all having PD.
Living well with Parkinson’s means continuing to work, building my career, spending time with my family and friends, and adapting to whatever challenges come my way. For me, living well meant to guide and mentor others, just as I had been doing for 40 years, to learn to live well too. Living well is a journey. It requires that we acknowledge that we have Parkinson’s without letting it have us. This belief is why I decided to become an Ambassador for the Foundation. I want to model living well for others and to show, motivate, and encourage others to do the same. Now, you will likely find me spending time with my wife, children, and grandchildren; collaborating in research; and pursuing an inclusive approach to end Parkinson’s by affiliating with four major Parkinson’s foundations, each with a different but critical mission. I love learning, encouraging others to learn and build fulfilling lives, and giving back to my community.