The following is an email interview with Caleb Manscill, owner and manager of a blog about Parkinson’s disease at: www.myparkinsonsinformation.com.
Kate: Since you don’t have Parkinson’s disease yourself, why have you chosen this area to focus your efforts?
Caleb: I’ve decided to focus on Parkinson’s disease (PD) for two reasons. First, the information regarding PD on the internet is difficult to understand, find, and sort through. I helped create www.myparkinsonsinformation.com so that people who are affected by PD have a site they can depend on for current research and other important information.
What’s the first thing people do when they find out they or someone close to them has a serious disease? They get on the internet and type the disease into a search engine and come up with millions of sites. I think that could be a little frustrating wading through all of that information. Our goal with our site is to create one central place that people affected by PD can go to learn about current and past research regarding PD.
The second reason I have focused on PD is because people in my family, particularly my grandma, have been deeply affected by neurological diseases. They haven’t had a great internet site they can turn to in order to understand the disease that may influence the rest of their lives. I remember the instant stress that seemed to come to my dad as he learned of my grandma’s condition and what kind of impact that had on him. Slowly he was able to push the stress aside as he learned more and more about her neurological disease. My hope is that www.myparkinsonsinformation.com can become a constant source of information to help people cope with PD.
Kate: How have you become knowledgeable about PD? How have you become "very tuned in to research, movements, and the day to day rigors that PD brings.”
Caleb: I have become knowledgeable about PD by studying articles, reports, and journals about PD and other neurological diseases. If I am writing or managing a site that has to do with PD, then I want to make sure I am up to date and as knowledgeable and informed about PD as any PhD or MD. I believe my gift of writing can help close the gap of information and understanding between professionals and PD sufferers. I know that it’s a tall order for a young person finishing college at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
Kate: What prompted you to become the owner and manager of this PD blog? What do hope to achieve?
Caleb: The opportunity to manage the site was given to me by the website designer. When the designer mentioned the focus of the site to me, I became excited because I saw the opportunity to be a part of something that was of great need to many people. Since I began last summer, it has been exciting to see the traffic that has come to our site. In years to come I hope to be one of the premier sites to visit for PD. I understand that it will take some time and persistence but we have a specific plan and vision of how to get there.
Kate: Who do you admire the most in the PD movement?
Caleb: The thing I admire most about a many PD sufferers is their hope and ambition. I have always wanted to associate myself with people that are ambitious and hard-working, whether they are involved in running, sports, school, or simple day to day matters. I have found it discouraging that some people settle for mediocrity and sit back and let their circumstances take control of their lives.
Since I’ve been involved with the PD movement, I’ve been astounded at the drive and determination of PD sufferers and even researchers. I’m not just talking about Michael J. Fox, but the people that get up every day and think “I’m going to do my best today and try to accomplish something.”
As I’ve associated myself with those suffering from PD, I have learned volumes, mostly about myself and what I truly want in life. I think the thing that has the biggest impact on me is the unity and love that exists in the PD community. Everyone seems to be pulling for each other, and everyone seems to want the very best regardless of how bad it can get some days. There is a lot of determination exhibited by those with PD that others have a difficult time understanding.
I am grateful for my associations in the PD world. I look forward to giving back to them, starting with my blog at www.myparkinsonsinformation.com.
The following is an email interview with Caleb Manscill, owner and manager of a blog about Parkinson’s disease at: www.myparkinsonsinformation.com.
Kate: Since you don’t have Parkinson’s disease yourself, why have you chosen this area to focus your efforts?
Caleb: I’ve decided to focus on Parkinson’s disease (PD) for two reasons. First, the information regarding PD on the internet is difficult to understand, find, and sort through. I helped create www.myparkinsonsinformation.com so that people who are affected by PD have a site they can depend on for current research and other important information.
What’s the first thing people do when they find out they or someone close to them has a serious disease? They get on the internet and type the disease into a search engine and come up with millions of sites. I think that could be a little frustrating wading through all of that information. Our goal with our site is to create one central place that people affected by PD can go to learn about current and past research regarding PD.
The second reason I have focused on PD is because people in my family, particularly my grandma, have been deeply affected by neurological diseases. They haven’t had a great internet site they can turn to in order to understand the disease that may influence the rest of their lives. I remember the instant stress that seemed to come to my dad as he learned of my grandma’s condition and what kind of impact that had on him. Slowly he was able to push the stress aside as he learned more and more about her neurological disease. My hope is that www.myparkinsonsinformation.com can become a constant source of information to help people cope with PD.
Kate: How have you become knowledgeable about PD? How have you become "very tuned in to research, movements, and the day to day rigors that PD brings.”
Caleb: I have become knowledgeable about PD by studying articles, reports, and journals about PD and other neurological diseases. If I am writing or managing a site that has to do with PD, then I want to make sure I am up to date and as knowledgeable and informed about PD as any PhD or MD. I believe my gift of writing can help close the gap of information and understanding between professionals and PD sufferers. I know that it’s a tall order for a young person finishing college at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
Kate: What prompted you to become the owner and manager of this PD blog? What do hope to achieve?
Caleb: The opportunity to manage the site was given to me by the website designer. When the designer mentioned the focus of the site to me, I became excited because I saw the opportunity to be a part of something that was of great need to many people. Since I began last summer, it has been exciting to see the traffic that has come to our site. In years to come I hope to be one of the premier sites to visit for PD. I understand that it will take some time and persistence but we have a specific plan and vision of how to get there.
Kate: Who do you admire the most in the PD movement?
Caleb: The thing I admire most about a many PD sufferers is their hope and ambition. I have always wanted to associate myself with people that are ambitious and hard-working, whether they are involved in running, sports, school, or simple day to day matters. I have found it discouraging that some people settle for mediocrity and sit back and let their circumstances take control of their lives.
Since I’ve been involved with the PD movement, I’ve been astounded at the drive and determination of PD sufferers and even researchers. I’m not just talking about Michael J. Fox, but the people that get up every day and think “I’m going to do my best today and try to accomplish something.”
As I’ve associated myself with those suffering from PD, I have learned volumes, mostly about myself and what I truly want in life. I think the thing that has the biggest impact on me is the unity and love that exists in the PD community. Everyone seems to be pulling for each other, and everyone seems to want the very best regardless of how bad it can get some days. There is a lot of determination exhibited by those with PD that others have a difficult time understanding.
I am grateful for my associations in the PD world. I look forward to giving back to them, starting with my blog at www.myparkinsonsinformation.com.