Ep.13 Reaching New Heights With a Dopamine Pump. Jen Zupon’s Story | This is Parkinson’s Podcast

What if a tiny device could turn the tide on your Parkinson’s journey? In this episode of This is Parkinson’s, Lisa Volenec chats with Jen Zupon, an energetic and passionate Parkinson’s advocate and mentor who has become the "poster child" for the dopamine pump. If you’re tired of the constant "on/off" cycle of medication, the rigid alarms, and the physical exhaustion of managing Parkinson’s, this conversation is for you. Jen shares her raw, unfiltered experience of getting the dopamine pump, how it’s enabled her to return to an active lifestyle—including rock climbing—and why she believes community and purpose are just as vital as any treatment. In this episode, we cover: The Dopamine Pump: How a steady state of medication eliminated "off" periods and changed Jen’s daily life. Navigating the Journey: Candid advice on dealing with the highs and lows of a new diagnosis. Finding Purpose: Why Jen chooses to mentor others and use her story to advocate for the Parkinson’s community. Active Living: The surprising role of rock climbing and boxing in managing symptoms and boosting mental health. Jen’s story isn’t just about a medical device; it’s a masterclass in resilience, pivoting when challenges arise, and finding the "something good" even in a chronic diagnosis. Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an inspiring story! 👉 Don't forget to follow, rate, and share this episode to help amplify the stories that spark real change! Hit that Follow button to join our community. Whether you’re a patient, a caregiver, or an advocate, we’re here to show you that you don’t have to navigate this journey alone. ━━━━━━ 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