Why For Every Step? The Backstory.

When beginning my education at Boston College, I was surprised to learn that my most formative educational experiences would come from outside the realm of the classroom.

After finishing my first semester, I returned home to learn that my father had been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease — a neurodegenerative disease that is

characterized by motor symptoms: tremors, slow movement, and instability. However, what often remains overlooked are the mental health challenges that accompany this diagnosis.

Because Parkinson's is a result of a reduction of dopamine levels in the brain (the chemical that makes us feel "pleased", "rewarded", and "motivated"), roughly half of the individuals diagnosed with this disease will experience depressive symptoms. Unfortunately, my father fell victim to this percentage of the population.

I started For Every Step because as a son of a Parkinson's parent, a Parkinson's Clinical Researcher, and a Neuroscience student, I saw the spaces that didn't yet exist. Spaces where people with movement disorders could connect, feel seen, and be supported beyond the clinical setting. This organization is built on the idea that support should be empathetic, personal, and persistent. Whether that is through a buddy program, fundraising events, a movement class, or a space to share your story, every step forward deserves recognition and care.

I do not have all the answers. I am not looking to find the cure to this uncurable disease. But, I do believe in building something that bridges something that we know with what we feel — rooted in both neurological care and community.