Jon Pawelkop, an Ambassador for the World Parkinson’s Congress 2023, was recently featured on the YOPN podcast. He promotes Rock Steady Boxing (RSB) and encourages others to “Make It Mean Something” (MIMS). In May 2018, Jon started a personal challenge called “Boxing Grand Tour Fighting Parkinson’s,” which involved visiting an RSB affiliate class in every state and working out with the fighters there while also sharing words of encouragement. He completed this goal within 13 months and visited more than 60 RSB affiliates. Jon also attended the World Parkinson’s Congress in Kyoto, Japan, where he helped represent RSB and assisted coaches from various countries as they demonstrated their lessons to attendees.
My name is Michael Quaglia, and I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease at the age of 42 in October 2006. For the next eight years, I worked tirelessly to climb the corporate ladder, hoping to accumulate enough wealth before the symptoms of the disease forced me into early retirement. Looking back, I wish I had made different choices.
In 2014, I stumbled upon two articles that changed the course of my life. The first was a study by the Cleveland Clinic, which found that "forced exercise" could significantly improve Parkinson's symptoms. The second was a video made by a small non-profit organization called Rock Steady Boxing, which demonstrated the benefits of non-contact boxing for people with Parkinson's.
Inspired by the potential benefits of exercise and boxing for Parkinson's patients, I dedicated my life to helping others and myself fight back against the symptoms of the disease. As a result, I have become an advocate for people with Parkinson's and an active member of the Parkinson's community.
To help get the word out in 2016 I started a Podcast "2 Mikes" with a friend Mike Achin. Seven years later we're sponsored by the Young Onset Parkinson's Network, we have numerous cohosts and our content resonates with the PD community.
Before my diagnosis, I worked as a Sales Manager for Engineering staffing agencies, but my journey with Parkinson's has led me down a different path, one in which I find fulfillment and purpose in making a positive impact on the lives of others.
