The following post appeared in a special insert to MacLean’s magazine, published on September 17, 2020.

Nobody should have to navigate Parkinson’s disease alone. Blake Bell shares his journey with Parkinson’s, from diagnosis to how he thrives today.

Receiving a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease is tough. I remember when I went to my doctor and he told me, « You need to see a neurologist. » So, I got an appointment— and he told me I had Parkinson’s disease.

They were words that I wasn’t prepared to hear. At the time I was a 50-year-old business owner of a thriving construction company.

I thought, « It happens to other people. It can’t happen to me. » And that’s how I spent the first few years: in denial. I was having a hard time adjusting to my symptoms and I withdrew from many normal activities, isolating myself and feeling alone.

After a few years I reached out for support through Parkinson Canada. Sharing and speaking with people that were going through that I was helped me come to terms with my new life.

Read the full article in context on healthinsights.ca or in the September edition of MacLean’s.