An interview with Laura Olmos, Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful on March 3, 2024 by George Ackerman, Ph.D, J.D.
Biography
My name is Laura Olmos, I live in Nuevo Laredo in Mexico, border with Laredo, Texas in the United States. I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 10 years ago at the age of 40.
Can you tell me more about your organization?
In October 2020, during Covid 19 Pandemia, I created a support group in Facebook called Parkinson Laredo to share information and reach out and connect with others living with pd, we also now meet once a week as a local support pd group.
I am a member of the Mexican Parkinsons Association and participate in making awareness online and in person events.
What is your passion and how did you get involved in Parkinson’s awareness and hope for a cure?
In Mexico as in other Latin American countries there is a lack of information about Parkinson’s disease.
As an Ambassador with the Davis Phinney Foundation, I advocate for Parkinson’s in online and in person events, I visit pd communities in different places in Mexico, share my testimony living with pd and help them connect to online educational resources, and let them know that we are not alone, different organizations worldwide are joining efforts to help us Live Well Today with Parkinson.
What type of goals do individuals with Parkinson’s have when working with you?
I share with pd community my testimony of 10 years of living with Parkinson’s, my exercise routines, therapies, meditation and more that allows me to have a good physical and emotional condition, but most important I want for them to believe in themselves again, that we are not Parkinson’s, help them remember who they really are as a person, that we can have a better quality of life.
What type of training and how long are the programs?
I have attended different workshops, such as
- Parkinsons Regeneration Training with Karl Sterling
- Hand Eye Body Coordination with Dr. Jacob Weiss
- Mobility Training with Sarah Martens
- Yoga, Taichi, Walk/run routines/Aqua fitness/others
I practice them all but have a daily different routine.
What effect can it have on an individual with Parkinson’s?
In my opinion exercising in a daily basis, doing specific training and different routines can really have a great life change experience that all rounds up in having and maintaining a better quality of life.
It’s incredible the positive effect we have when we reach out and share with pd communities that I now call family. We learn from each other; we all can be a motivation and inspiration.
What would you like to see as a future goal for your programs?
I´d like to see more health professionals involved in pd support groups, in Mexico and other Latin Americans there’s a lack of education for people who live with Parkinson’s and their families.
What events do you participate in?
Online and in person pd events and with community in general, as a speaker or group panelist.
Last year I attended in person in more than 10 events around Mexico, 3 in person events in the United States and the World Parkinsons Congress in Barcelona.
I can´t estimate at this moment the online events I participated in.
I advocate and make pd awareness everywhere I can.
How does this also assist the caregivers?
When we improve our quality of life (motor and non-motor symptoms) we also improve the life of our family and caregivers.
Sometimes it´s not easy and/or we don’t know how to tell our caregivers how we feel.
When we share our testimony, how we feel, what has worked for us, and more… we all learn, it helps us understand better and have a different perspective of how each of us struggle and live with PD.
How can someone get in touch? What is your website?
Email: laurao_lolmos@hotmail.com
https://davisphinneyfoundation.org/ambassador/laura-olmos-2/
Parkinson Laredo in Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/768321520680203/
How can others also become advocates for awareness?
We all can advocate with our families, neighbors, work, community, pd support group and more.
There are so many ways to participate… as an ambassador of different PD Foundations, podcasts, social media, networking, sharing your testimony, etc.
In your opinion what is the key to effective advocacy?
Each of us has a different approach as an advocate for Parkinson’s, it’s important for us to make awareness but most important to understand that we are persons and that pd doesn’t define us.
What other activities do you undertake to help improve and support your daily living Eg exercise and alternative remedies?
When I was diagnosed, I didn’t do exercise, I felt slow and very tired, together with motor and non-motor symptoms, started physical therapy, included gait and mobility training.
With lots of attitude and discipline I can say thar I practice:
- Yoga and meditation (for more than 8 years).
- Tai Chi
- Walk/Run, 4 times a week (60-90 minutes routine)
- Aqua fitness
- Coordination / Mobility Training
- Dance for Parkinson´s and some others
I also follow a personalized nutritional program and I try to drink daily from 2.5 to 3 liters of water.
Upon my diagnosis I started to paint, mostly in acrylic and participated in Parkinson’s Art Exhibition in London (it currently closed)
Why should people who don’t have Parkinson’s care about this?
We all should have empathy to other person’s life condition, Parkinson’s or not we all might be living some kind of difficult situation.
So, we all learn from others life conditions, it helps us and our communities.
Have you had any family members or relatives affected by Parkinson’s disease?
I am the first one in my family to be diagnosed with PD.