Davis Phinney & Kevin Kwok. Healthy and Strong and Living with Parkinson's.

What this episode covers

Meet Davis Phinney. He’s an Olympic Bronze medalist and Tour de France stage winner who has the most victories of any cyclist in American history. 328 in all. All that work as a professional cyclist came in handy years later when he confronted a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. Despite the uphill battle that confront him, Davis realized that he could take action to feel healthy and strong. He started a foundation to promote and fund innovative research that seeks to improve the quality of life forthose living with Parkinson’s. Today the Davis Phinney Foundation is a leading source for education and resources to help people with Parkinson’s take action to live well today. Davis is joined Kevin Kwok. With 30 years under his belt in biopharmaceutical operations, Kevin is a valued advisor on the board of directors of the foundation and living with Parkinson’s as well. Our conversation with Kevin and Davis is a deep dive into the unpredictable and challenging world of Parkinson's—a condition whose intricacies are being unraveled each day, revealing a dance between genetics and environment. Both Kevin and Davis have undergone life-altering deep brain stimulation procedures, offering them newfound liberation from the shackles of medication dependence and illuminating the path towards an improved quality of life. They candidly reflect on how the disease has reshaped their perspectives, compelling them to slow down, yet simultaneously enabling them to uncover joy in passions like skiing and cycling. As advocates for proactive disease management, they emphasize the power of exercise, embracing supportive relationships, and the significance of living in the moment.