Parkinson's Disease is a progressive nervous system disorder.  It begins with tremors, then spreads to include stiffness, slowing movement, slurred, softer speech and degrading balance.  There is no cure for Parkinson's, but studies have shown that certain exercises can slow it down and mitigate the symptoms.  In Lansing Caroline Brown and Debbie Bosanko are helping Parkinson's sufferers to literally fight the symptoms with a unique boxing training program specifically designed for Parkinson's patients.

"Last year I saw a clip on CBS Morning News with Leslie Stahl," Brown says.  "Her husband has Parkinson's.  He has been involved with Rock Steady Boxing in New York City.  I saw it and was so inspired by it — it was exciting.  I didn’t know anyone with Parkinson’s at that time, but it was very inspiring.  I was starting to look at organizations to contribute money to, and looking at their record.  If I put my money toward bringing Rock Steady Boxing here I knew I was going to make a difference."


The new Finger Lakes program is in the assessment stage to prepare for classes that will begin the week of October 17th.  All participants must be assessed before being admitted into the program.  Nine people have been assessed so far.  Brown and Bosanko are hoping to recruit enough people to fill two classes -- one for people with advanced Parkinson's symptoms and another for those with less pronounced manifestations.  The classes will meet twice a week, costing $60 per month, and participants will be encouraged not to miss sessions in order to reap the most benefit from the program.

Brown signed up with the Indianapolis-based organization to train as an instructor, and at the same time scoured Tompkins County for people who could make her goal of bringing Rock Steady Boxing to the area.  She spoke to area professionals and Parkinson's sufferers, which led her to Bosanko.  Bosanko, who holds a Masters degree in Recreation Therapy, and is a certified exercise instructor, certified personal trainer, and a certified kick boxing instructor, has been teaching exercise classes to people over 55 years old for more than 20 years.  She also happens to teach a sitting exercise class at Kendal to people with Parkinson's.  All of that made her the perfect choice as principal instructor.

"It was obvious that I needed to interview Debbie," Brown says.  "We spent a little time together, and I gave her my spot to go to Rock Steady, because it was much more reasonable for her to get trained than for me to go, because I probably would not do coaching for very long.  My idea was to develop a business that would be sustainable with professionals."

Bosanko has another advantage.  She has been learning and teaching Karate at Cayuga Lake Seido Karate for the past eight years, earning a second degree black belt and bringing her connection to the Lansing facility.  Brown says it's the perfect location with a flat layout that is easy to access, and plenty of parking.  Business owners Kyoshi Robin McColley and Kyoshi Gail Lajoie will also assist in teaching the classes.


Bosanko notes that studies have shown that the training exercises boxers undergo are virtually tailor-made for Parkinson's sufferers.  Each exercise targets a symptom.  Punching helps reduce tremors.  Footwork improves balance.  Stretching relieves stiffness, and shouting mitigates ‘soft voice syndrome’.

"For example, we stretch in the beginning and that helps counteract the stiffness," Bosanko says.  "We do a lot of fancy footwork - agility training — that addresses their balance issues.  We do punching.  When people who have Parkinson’s put those gloves on and punch those heavy bags or the speed bags, their tremors disappear.  It lasts after the length of the time of the class."

She says that while it does not provide a permanent solution, it provides relief from symptoms and goes a long way toward restoring participants' confidence.  She says a two year study of 88 people with Parkinson's at the University of Indianapolis showed that all of the people in the Rock Steady Boxing program either maintained their level or improved their quality of living, more-so than those who took part in other exercise programs.

"When they’re in that class all the coaches are instructed to have a sense of humor and tough love," Bosanko says.  "It really does encourage the people in a nonjudgmental, nonthreatening environment, to work their hardest."

Ass assessments are being conducted Brown has been ordering equipment including punching bags and boxing gloves, and doing the work of getting the business on its feet.  Her affiliate is Rock Steady Boxing Finger Lakes -- she hopes to serve the whole Finger Lakes area, noting that the first participant to be assessed was from Elmira.  She says she hopes others will also contribute so the program can afford more equipment, such as a defibrillator.

And Brown stresses that it is a non-contact program.  Participants will be punching a bag, but not each other.

"Hopefully this will blossom into the beautiful community support for Parkinson’s patients, and this will be a cornerstone for people to come and be with each other and be better," Bosanko says.
Rock Steady Boxing was founded in Indianapolis in 2006 to address the specific needs of Parkinson’s sufferers. Since then it has grown to over 80 franchise locations.  The next closest franchise locations are in Syracuse and Binghamton.

Brown says that the social aspect of the classes will have emotional benefits as well as physical ones.

"It is an exercise class together," she says.  "Everybody in the room is encouraging you to hit.  You have this big momentum of everyone fighting together.  They’re helping you to really go at it.  You have this elevated experience."

"They’re releasing their anger and frustration," Bosanko adds.  "That is why Rock Steady Boxing is awesome.  It gives them an outlet.  It gives them hope.  It’s so emotional, just going through that."

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