April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month, and this year’s theme is Find Real Answers. Marcia Parrish — who lost her husband Tom to Parkinson’s after nearly 15 years with the disease — joined Galesburg’s Morning News Friday morning to talk about what the disease looks like, what caregivers need to know, and how the community can help.
Parrish facilitates a Parkinson’s Support Group and a Caregiver’s Support Group in Monmouth, volunteers with Rock Steady Boxing at the Monmouth YMCA, and organizes the Tom Parrish Memorial Golf Tournament for Parkinson’s research.
What is Parkinson’s disease?
Parkinson’s is a neurogenetic disease that affects the brain cells responsible for producing dopamine — the chemical that allows people to walk, talk, and move smoothly. There is no cure. About 10 million people worldwide live with Parkinson’s, and roughly 90,000 Americans are diagnosed each year — one every six minutes.
Parrish said most people think of tremors when they think of Parkinson’s, but the disease has both motor and non-motor symptoms. Motor symptoms include tremors, shuffling, loss of balance, joint stiffness, and small handwriting. Non-motor symptoms — which can be just as devastating — include loss of smell, sleep disturbances, fatigue, pain, hallucinations, and constipation, which she noted is an early indicator that is rarely discussed.
Research suggests Parkinson’s results from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Genetics account for only 10 to 15% of cases. Parrish said her husband Tom was a farmer, as was his father and grandfather — all three had Parkinson’s — and she believes chemical exposure played a role.
What caregivers need to know
“Parkinson’s affects the entire family — not just the person who has Parkinson’s,” Parrish said.
She said families must make household adjustments as the disease progresses — removing throw rugs, managing expensive medications, and navigating the emotional weight of watching a loved one change. She also noted that Parkinson’s patients often present well when family is around, which can lead distant relatives to underestimate how much the disease has progressed.
Her most important piece of advice: build a team.
“Develop a team and really talk to your family,” she said. Tom had drivers, social companions, and friends who would take him to the golf course, the farms, and occasionally for a drink — giving Parrish time to care for herself while Tom maintained connections that mattered to him.
She also urged families to seek out a movement disorder specialist — a neurologist who specializes in diseases like Parkinson’s — as the foundation of that care team.
Exercise and Rock Steady Boxing
Exercise is the only intervention proven to slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease. Rock Steady Boxing — a specialized program that uses high-intensity intervals, speed bags, punching bags, coordination exercises, and vocal training — meets Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9 to 10 a.m. at the Monmouth YMCA. Thanks to grants secured by the YMCA, participants attend at no cost.
“Our people are very fortunate that they can go there for free,” Parrish said.
Tom Parrish Memorial Golf Tournament
The Tom Parrish Memorial Golf Tournament for Parkinson’s Disease — named after Marcia’s late husband — returns June 27, 2026, at Gibson Woods Golf Course in Monmouth. Shotgun start is at 8 a.m. Foursomes are $300 and lunch is included. In three years, the tournament has raised $90,000 for research through Team Fox, the Michael J. Fox Foundation’s community fundraising program. One hundred percent of proceeds go directly to research.
To register, mail your form and payment to Tom Parrish Memorial Golf Tournament, 403 E. Broadway, Monmouth, IL 61462. Questions: call Marcia Parrish at (309) 221-7907.
