The Bright Side - a Column by Jamie Askari

Jamie is the managing director of Premier Health Advocates, LLC, a small medical advocacy organization in Cleveland, Ohio. Her husband was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease in 2009, before his 40th birthday. Jamie and her husband have three grown children: Lexy who is an attorney, Mandy who is completing her MBA and dietetic internship, and Jake who is an undergraduate student studying finance and neuroscience. She has named her column “The Bright Side” (actually, her husband named it!) because of the couple’s positive attitude regarding PD and everything in their life.

How identity can evolve after a Parkinson’s diagnosis

Have you ever pondered the question “Who am I?” Personally, I never have. This won’t surprise anyone who knows me, as I’m not the type of person who self-reflects. But I recently started thinking about it as I began researching how identity can change after a Parkinson’s diagnosis.