Alameda Post: Denise Lum Dances and Walks for Parkinson’s Disease, ALS, and Alzheimer’s

My friend, Mehdi, will not be “dancing” with me any longer. As of this past week, he is no longer limited in his movements and will instead be dancing freely in heaven. Mehdi resided at one of the four assisted living facilities at which I lead chair Zumba classes. We met less than one year ago and since that time, he rarely missed a class. He shared with me, the very first time we met, that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.

Parkinson’s has been in the news, as of late, because three-time NFL MVP quarterback Brett Favre revealed at a congressional hearing that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at the beginning of the year.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) as defined by the Parkinson’s Foundation is “a neurodegenerative disorder that affects predominantly the dopamine-producing (“dopaminergic”) neurons in a specific area of the brain called substantia nigra.” It is a movement disorder that presents when the brain cells that produce dopamine fail to properly do so.

in honor of Mehdi, I will be offering a Zumbathon—a Zumba class from which all proceeds go to a cause—on the Saturday following Thanksgiving. Join me at Dance/10 Performing Arts Center, 900 Santa Clara Avenue, from 8 to 9 a.m. Proceeds will be donated to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Fox has used his celebrity to make huge strides for research since his diagnosis of Parkinson’s. Save the date, Saturday, November 30, to come dance with me and help further the research toward finding a cure.

This past Saturday, I led the warm-up for the first of two Bay Area walks, “Walk and Roll to Cure ALS” with the ALS Network. As defined by the ALS Network, “Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as ‘Lou Gehrig’s Disease,’ is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.” Learn more about ALS in my article, Let’s Kick Some ALS!