Ep.9 Original Besties: How a Parkinson's Diagnosis Changed Our Friendship

What does a lifelong friendship look like when it’s met with a life-altering diagnosis? In this episode of This Is Parkinson’s, host Lisa Volenec sits down with her best friend of over 50 years, Dawn Blankenship. From being born three days apart to navigating the "bomb" of a Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2014, their bond has remained unshakable. Lisa and Dawn pull back the curtain on the "off" episodes, the reality of Parkinson’s tremors, and the terrifying moments—like a trip to the ER—that test the limits of support. But in true Lisa and Dawn fashion, they also find the humor in the heavy, discussing everything from "blinged-out self-defense kits" to the impulsive TikTok shopping that can sometimes accompany a PD journey. In this episode, we explore: The Diagnosis Call: Memories from the day the "bomb" dropped and how Dawn processed the news. Support vs. Helplessness: What it’s like to witness a loved one’s physical struggles and the power of just "showing up." Humor as Medicine: Why being able to laugh at the "ugly" parts of PD is a survival tool. A Letter to the Future: Lisa and Dawn open letters they wrote to themselves six months ago, reflecting on clarity, pressure, and self-doubt. Whether you are a Parkinson’s caregiver, a patient, or someone who simply believes in the power of a "soul-sister" friendship, this episode is a testament to the fact that while Parkinson’s is part of the story, it doesn't get to be the lead character. ━━━━━━ ꕤ Support the mission of This is Parkinson’s Donate here: https://bit.ly/thisisparkinsonsdonate ━━━━━━ ꕤ Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisparkinsonsofficial Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thisisparkinsons ━━━━━━ ꕤ About This is Parkinson’s: This is Parkinson’s is a nonprofit storytelling platform dedicated to sharing honest conversations about life with Parkinson’s disease. Through interviews with patients, caregivers, advocates, and experts, TIP aims to educate, reduce stigma, and build a community around the realities of living with Parkinson’s. Learn more: https://www.thisisparkinsons.org Contact: info@thisisparkinsons.org ━━━━━━ ꕤ 🔔 🩵 ⟢ Thank you for watching and supporting TIP. Your support helps amplify the voices of the Parkinson’s community and brings greater awareness to this disease. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices