Joe van Koeverden

Peterborough, Ontario

Joe was diagnosed in March of 2012 after a year of testing, using the process of elimination, to determine the cause of his dragging left leg and the tremor in his left hand. Not being able to diagnose Joe, his general practitioner sent him to the local hospital emergency ward to have a complete medical exam, resulting in a meeting with a neurologist.

It took Joe a few years to work through the emotions of having Parkinson’s, including the side effects from the medications he was on. After two years, Joe found a Parkinson’s support group and a neurologist that worked with him to find the right medication to manage his symptoms. Through the support group, Joe found a gym that offered fitness classes specifically for Parkinson’s and connected him to his work out partner Lanny.

Now taking his fitness very seriously, Joe works with Lanny to help their Parkinson’s chapter to reach more people with Parkinson’s in Canada. Hosting fundraisers and events to support Parkinson’s research, their group of 100 members is celebrating 40 years of service to the community in 2020. Joe is excited to be part of the Ambassador program, working with others to share ideas and successes, making every victory count along the way.

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