Judy Freitag

Evanston, Illinois

When I was first diagnosed at age 50, my symptoms were vague and not too obvious. At that point, my priorities included my family, raising our three young boys, and maintaining my job as an environmental engineer since I was the primary income provider. My family and I made it our mission to learn as much as we could about Parkinson’s, especially on key topics like exercise, medication management, the value of relationships, and to remember that although I have Parkinson’s, I am not Parkinson’s.

I recently retired from work and now have more time to focus on living well, including exercising daily and connecting with people with Parkinson’s and others who understand the community’s unique challenges. My husband and I are avid cyclists and have ridden in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Oregon. For me, living well means acknowledging the incentive to keep moving, and seeking ways to stay positive. Trying to improve your life with Parkinson’s can be your own personal victory.

As an Ambassador, I am most excited about meeting like-minded individuals within the Parkinson’s community.

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