In 2011, my oldest sister, Katie Barnes was diagnosed with
early on-set Parkinsons disease. Her 2 children at the time were 11yrs and
14yrs old. It was a huge shock and adjustment for them all. She has constant
tremors throughout her entire left side of her body. Imagine your hand
constantly moving for no reason. Or feeling like you have no control over what
your body is doing. There are limited treatment options to date to minimize or
reduce patients symptoms.

3 yrs ago, my sister underwent DBS surgery to help improve
her daily living. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a
treatment for symptoms of Parkinson's disease, including tremors, stiffness, and
trouble walking. This is not a cure for Parkinson's and won't stop it from
getting worse. DBS is the most commonly performed surgical treatment for
Parkinson's. A surgeon places thin metal wires in the brain; these wires send
electrical pulses to the brain to help control some motor symptoms.

Since this ordeal my sister has had
to overcome numerous challenges that impact her daily life. Throughout it all
she has remained positive. Her smile is bright, including her outlook. It is so
tough to witness your loved one’s health decline. So with every step of
training for this event including race day, I will be reminded of her daily
struggle and face it all with a bright smile.

Please join your Juniper leaders in
our efforts to raise awareness. Together we can all OUT PACE PARKINSONS.