CORNING, N.Y. (18 NEWS) - Bob Russell was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2005. Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder where the part of the brain that controls movement is affected.
He struggled with symptoms for the next six years on the job which involved sound, lights, and sets.
"I took my headsets off and put them on the deck and just put my head in my hands and said, 'I can't do this anymore.'" Russell said. "And that's it. I never went back to work."
The former stage manager loved the job so much, he thought he was going to work until he was 75, but eight surgeries later (two of those being brain surgeries because of the disorder), he says fate had different plans for him.
The Corning native who now lives in Niagara County takes up to eight different types of medication a day to control his symptoms. The pills are spanned out every two and a half hours, so he has alarm after alarm set on his phone.
Despite the inconvenience, he uses his experience to spread awareness to local students with encouragement from his wife.
"I love my wife dearly," Russell said. "She's been my best caregiver."
In addition to a presentation explaining what Parkinson's is, Russell brings along props to demonstrate and gets a kick out of the students trying to complete the tasks.
The first prop includes wearing one boot with a three-pound weight to exemplify abnormal walking or posture.
Another demonstration includes putting on winter gloves, then trying to open a pill bottle filled with tic tacs, and pouring out one color of each.
Lastly, students put Marshmallows in their mouth and try to say the alphabet to demonstrate slurred speech.
"The humor is the best thing to have when you have a terminal illness with no cure," Russell said. "You have to laugh at yourself and call yourself Parkys and say you're feeling a little Parky today."
Russell does his presentations for free, but he's received donations for the Parkinson's Foundation totaling $800.
To see video:
http://www.mytwintiers.com/news/local-news/man-with-parkinsons-disease-uses-these-props-to-spread-awareness/1070165057
http://www.mytwintiers.com/news/local-news/man-with-parkinsons-disease-uses-these-props-to-spread-awareness/1070165057
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