Wolfgang (Germany)

Living with Parkinson’s disease since 1994

Parkinson’s Voices Advocate

Wolfgang was leading an active life: Married with two children, he had just built a new home, and was up for a promotion at work when suddenly his whole life changed. It all started when Wolfgang’s wife noticed his right arm would no longer swing properly when he was walking. Wolfgang brushed this symptom off believing it was likely the result of a broken collarbone he had suffered years earlier. After visiting a variety of doctors, there seemed to be no explanation for Wolfgang’s symptoms.

Months later, Wolfgang met with a neurologist, who after performing several motor skill tests, diagnosed him with Parkinson’s disease. It was then that Wolfgang grasped the reason for the challenges he had been facing in everyday life, like freezing while walking with his family. After speaking with his neurologist, Wolfgang decided to begin treatment. Following several trials with different treatments, Wolfgang found the best treatment option for him and has shown considerable improvement.

Today, Wolfgang continues to bike in the Swiss, Austrian, and Italian Alps. Given his first bike at age six, Wolfgang was overjoyed that he could continue with his lifelong passion. For, Wolfgang Parkinson’s has not been all bad: through it, he discovered poetry and other new skills, and encourages people diagnosed with Parkinson’s to find their own inner skills and strength to overcome the obstacles they face in their lives.