When I was fundraising for the Chicago Marathon, a mutual friend told me that a mother of Abby’s classmate, Ruth, had recently lost her own mother to Parkinson’s. Debbie became a wonderful source of empathy and support, and Abby and Ruth also connected on a different level when they learned that they had PD in common.

Two years later, Debbie and I were beyond proud when our girls, along with their younger siblings, decided to host a Pancakes for Parkinson’s event. They held brainstorming sessions, made a plan of attack and enlisted their friends as volunteers.

The event was a tremendous success, with 150 attendees and over $20,000 raised. More importantly, both girls and their friends got a glimpse of how much a difference that they have the ability to make. That’s the biggest reward of all.