Hello, my name is Miriam and this is my story relating to Parkinson’s Disease. I became a certified personal trainer in 2011 after 10 years working in an office and discovering my true passion lay in helping people improve their overall health.
In 2016, while working in a retirement community my manager asked me if I would be interested in becoming certified in teaching a cycling class for Parkinson’s disease as it was becoming a growing need. I agreed, happy to learn more and help a new group of people. Little did I know like personal training it would change and impact my life as much as it has. I successfully started the class and began educating myself and attending conferences to learn more about Parkinson’s Disease which led me to bring the Rock Steady Boxing program to the retirement community as well. But more importantly, I saw and began volunteering to help fill the need for outreach to the Spanish speaking community. At the time I was living in California.
In 2022, I made the move to Italy and continued volunteering with a variety of organizations worldwide to help translate, educate, and advocate for the Parkinson’s Disease community. I had the privilege of being selected as a volunteer for the World Parkinson Congress in Barcelona. I realized even more how much I missed working with this community as I had no direct contact when I moved to Rome. Fortunately, with my many friendships and contacts I was made aware of the Pedaling for Parkinsons program through the Davis Phinney Foundation so I reached out to them and asked if I could help in any way to expand this program to the Spanish speaking community. As luck would have it they were already considering this expansion and after more than a year of planning and preparation the program is geared to launch this coming April 2026!
I have been coaching for the Davis Phinney Foundation Pedaling for Parkinson’s program since January 2026 and will be the first coach for the upcoming Pedalea con Proposito program launching in April. Being back in front of and seeing my athletes weekly on their bikes reminds me of the impact exercise and strength, both interior and exterior, can have on a person.
Personally, the friendships and relationships I have developed within this community with fellow coaches, volunteers, and most importantly the people affected by the disease have enriched me and strengthened me in so many ways. I am grateful to work with this community, and I hope sharing my story helps people see what an impact one person can have on a group and the impact a group can have on one person.
A special thanks to George because he has shared his story and opened up in a way that allows many of us to share our own story and help each other.
Contact Information:
E-mail: millyrn@yahoo.com
Instagram: @movementandmenus
Facebook: Milly Nuñez
Website: https://www.forgept.com/
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