Stanford PD Community Blog

For more than two decades, innovative program has focused on ‘what people with Parkinson’s can do, not what they can’t do.’

Soania Mathur was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at the age of 27.  Excerpts from this Washington Post article about her and young-onset Parkinson’s:  “Mathur and health-care experts said that more awareness of early-onset Parkinson’s is needed, since some studies suggest that its incidence is increasing, going against the common belief that the rise in Parkinson’s cases is due to an aging population. … One study found that patients under 45 had a much longer latency from disease onset to diagnosis — over two years compared with nine months for late-onset patients. … Dystonia, a movement disorder characterized by sustained or intermittent muscle contractions, is more often seen in early-onset Parkinson’s disease, particularly after exercise. However, dementia, gait disturbances, gastrointestinal issues and loss of sense of smell are less frequent, less severe or delayed in younger individuals. Perhaps most intriguing is that the progression of the disease is much slower in early-onset patients.” 

“American Ninja Warrior” contestant Jimmy Choi was 27 when he was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease after a routine medical exam. Today, Choi, 50, is an adviser to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research who champions physical fitness and works to inspire others via public speaking and social media posts.