Rock Steady Boxing Long Island

My name is Jackie Fanneron and my mother, Betty a loving mother of four, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) back in Spring of 2015. My grandmother, Betty’s mother, Marie also suffered from Parkinson’s but was not diagnosed until her 80s. We saw what this disease was capable of and panicked considering my mother was much younger being only 56 and still had many active years ahead. The first two years after her diagnosis my family and I were all very much in denial and tried to ignore the fact that she had Parkinson’s hoping that it was all just a bad dream.

In the first two years of her diagnosis, I was living nine hours away in North Carolina and had not seen my mom in a couple of months. All it took was a workout together during a family vacation when I realized that my Mom does actually have PD and her symptoms will only get worse from here if we just continue to ignore it and not find ways to fight back. Something had to be done, we could not just sweep this disease under the rug anymore. Throughout my career as a practicing Certified Personal Trainer and obtaining my Master’s degree in Exercise Science, I have always drifted towards special population clients so, it finally clicked, what was I doing nine hours away from my Mom not helping her fight back against this disease with her?!?

After returning from that enlightening vacation I really buckled down and researched Parkinson’s. Through my initial research I had come across Rock Steady Boxing months prior but did not really look too far into it. After immersing myself in everything Rocky Steady Boxing through watching countless videos and reading testimonials I was hooked, and decided I was going to move back to Long Island and start this program for my mother and everyone else suffering from this life altering disease.

After my decision to get involved with Rock Steady and move back home, I contacted my mom and her sister Maria, who is an Exercise Physiologist working in Cardiac Rehab, and told them we were booking a trip to Indianapolis to become certified in Rock Steady Boxing. They agreed and in March 2017 the three of us became certified! That trip to Rock Steady Boxing headquarters was truly one of the most uplifting and fulfilling trips, and I was honored to be able to experience it with my Mom and really get to see what this wonderful program is truly about.

Our plan for Rock Steady Boxing Long Island is finally becoming a reality, and now we need your help! I found a perfect space in a boxing gym in Farmingdale that we can dedicate solely to Rock Steady Boxing, where we can host both evening and daytime classes. Our classes can accommodate persons of all levels of Parkinson’s progression. Our program consists of non-contact boxing drills and fitness training targeted to improve speed, agility, flexibility, balance, coordination, and power – every skill that a person suffering with Parkinson’s deals with on a daily basis. Our team is dedicated and confident in the success of this program and is needed in our community to not only to help my Mom, Betty fight back but everyone else who suffers from PD along with her.

Please help us cover our initial start-up expenses. As a Rock Steady Boxing affiliate, we are responsible for raising our own funds and appreciate any and all help. Betty, Maria and I thank you for your donation, large or small, as do all those with Parkinson’s who will find and participate in this program. Please share this so that anyone with Parkinson’s- newly diagnosed or dealing with the progression of the disease can give us a call, get started and become a Rock Steady Boxer today! Together we will fight back against Parkinson’s!

http://longisland.rsbaffiliate.com/