A HUGE thank you to John Cullen and Pattie Stoffel for their inspiring interview as part of Home Helpers Water Cooler Chat! Their courage and love have touched our hearts and continue to inspire us all.
We also want to once again thank them as well as the Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson’s for the unforgettable "It's Just Parkinson's" movie screenings in our local community. Let's keep spreading hope and awareness!
Remember to never give up! With courage and determination, we can conquer any obstacle. 💪
-Jonathan
#ItsJustParkinsons #InspiringInterview #NeverGiveUp #NeuroChallengeFoundation #Grit
To watch the movie, "It's Just Parkinson's" visit:
Website: www.itsjustparkinsons.com
Please follow them on Facebook: It's Just Parkinson's
To host a screening of the movie in your community, contact Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson's:
Website: www.neurochallenge.org
Phone: 941-926-6413
Please follow them on Facebook: Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson's
Transcript:
[Jonathan] On today's episode of Home Helper's Water Cooler chat, we have an absolute treat in store for you. Joining us today is the remarkable John Cullen, the star of the movie “It's Just Parkinson's,” and his partner, the lovely Pattie Stoffel, who is also in the movie. And let me tell you, It's Just Parkinson's is not just an inspirational movie for those facing Parkinson's disease; it is a powerful source of motivation for anyone striving to overcome life's obstacles. I highly recommend this movie to all of you, regardless of your age, whether you're a young teenager or a wise soul in your golden years. It speaks to caregivers, those in the world of sports, or individuals battling health problems. Absolutely. Anyone who needs a reminder that they have the strength within to conquer the seemingly impossible.
At the end of our interview, I will share with you all more information on how to watch this remarkable movie and how to connect with John and Patty through the Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson's. So are you ready to meet two extraordinary individuals who are here to inspire and uplift us all? I know I am. Let's go.
Thank you, John and Pattie, for joining us today on this Home Helpers Water Cooler Chat episode. How are you both doing today?
[John and Pattie] Doing excellent and great. Thanks for having us.
[Jonathan] Excellent. Thank you. So I'm going to go ahead and jump in the questions here. John, So my first question for you is, what inspired you to create the movie, It's just Parkinson's? And what I mean is, you know, it's one thing to create a movie after you've overcome certain obstacles, but you had, I think you had the determination and kind of the foresight to say, you know, I know I'm going to overcome many obstacles, so let me go ahead and start recording now. So I can capture it. So I'll let you go and answer that question.
[John] Yeah, thank you, Jonathan. I just want to say thank you for inviting us on, and we were thrilled the other day to show the movie to the group. I'm always humbled and touched, and how it affects people in general. It's actually the same way you are inspired and want to do better, make your life better and live a better life. So it's a great film, and I appreciate you having us there. What inspired me? First of all, I think you need to know a little bit about me. I mean, I think I'm uniquely qualified to do this film primarily because I've always put myself in situations where the outcome is in doubt. And, you know, with Parkinson's, the outcome is in doubt.
So when I was younger, I was placing goals. I ran races, climbed mountains, and did all kinds of things where the outcome was in doubt. And I put myself in a situation where it would almost be impossible for a good outcome and still have a good outcome. For example, I ran a marathon for one year of training, only training by running 81 miles. And I wanted to see how I reacted throughout the race. And, you know, could I make it to the end and how to figure out if I can make it so I am uniquely qualified for that standpoint and also study individuals who are who have lived through those sort of experiences, you know, from polar explorers to athletes and to regular citizen and sometimes have an incident in their life whenever the outcome was in doubt. So seeing those individuals could have been the most crushing physical challenge in my lifetime. So I found Parkinson’s, and it was just another challenge. And I feel good about having and having a challenge and finally putting all that together. I figured I wanted to do something for the community the Parkinson's community, even before I started, before my symptoms started again, man, Because I wanted them to see that they could they can overcome anything with energy and perseverance, and grit.
[Jonathan] All right. John, we love you, man. And I appreciate it. I mean, it certainly has had an impact. So thank you for making the movie. Let me ask you, how has this condition, Parkinson's disease, shaped your perspective now on life? Has it changed at all?
[John] Well, I think you'd be interested in the preface of my soon-to-be-released book; I talk about the fact that Parkinson's, having Parkinson's, actually enriched my life. I think many people find that to be contrary, contrary to what they're thinking. I think they think it's a bad thing; it's bad news. It's negative. I consider it to be an opportunity for me to live a better life and be happy with the condition of him. It's not the road that I wanted to be on, but it's the journey I'm on now. So from my standpoint and perspective, is integrating Parkinson's and low down the challenge. And I love the fact that I meet so many great people and individuals who inspire me to keep going.
[Jonathan] All right. So, John, do you have any advice or, you know, something you want to tell those that are battling Parkinson's right now?
[John] You know, I do stay in the game, and sometimes it's difficult to stay in the game. And it's hard. It's hard to stay in the frame when you're in pain and when you're maybe not feeling so well; when you kind of stay in the fight, you never give up and never surrender, no matter what. And I mean, and also remember, it's just Parkinson's. You know, I came up with that phrase. “It's just Parkinson's” because I want to cut things end. So I didn't want it to be so enormous. And it went overtake me. So I think I cutting it down to size, my saying it's just Parkinson's and how people remember that.
[Jonathan] Excellent. I appreciate that. So Pattie, same question for you from a caregiver's perspective, what advice do you have for caregivers or family members of those that have Parkinson's?
[Pattie] First of all, be patient. Life as you knew it in the past it's going to be a lot slower than it was. So you just need to be patient. The person that you are a caregiver for is going to need more of your support. They're going to need more of your help, and they're going to move slower. Everything you do going forward is going to be a lot slower. And so you just have to be patient. And once you accept that and you just kind of get in that mindset of having that extra patience, it really helps.
The second thing is time management. That is one thing that every morning what I do is I get up, and I take a look at what John has going on, what I have going on, or what we have going on together. And I make sure that I schedule our day accordingly. If I didn't do that, I would become very frustrated. For instance, if we're going somewhere or just have to be ready for an event like even today, I make sure that I get myself ready and give at least 30 minutes prior to that event that I'm available then to assist John with whatever is most likely like getting dressed again. It's really going to help. It will help the frustration level by looking at what you have and giving yourself ample time to do what you have to get done for that particular day.
And then the last thing is Joy. You need to bring joy, and you need to continue to have joy in your life. And you know that that's going to be different for every individual based on their limitations. But it could be as easy as one thing John and I do is every evening at about 5:00, we just sit down, and we talk. You know, we don't have our phones with us. We just take that opportunity to just have a discussion, just the two of us. And that brings us joy, and it brings us laughter. And you have to remember; laughter is the best medicine.
[Jonathan] Yeah, those are those are great tips. And, you know, and I'm sure it's encouragement for those, you know, caregivers as well. Well, I think that's everything. You know, I'm going to take I'm going to continue to share the movie as much as possible. We're going to try to continue to help you make this go viral, to spread this message, this inspirational message for those that have Parkinson's, for their caregivers, and anyone in general. Right. Anyone that's overcoming obstacles. So I will continue to do that. I'm going to share the website and how they can rent the movie in the comments or in this video, as well as in the comments for this video as well.
I'm trying to think. I think that's everything. Do you guys have any parting words you want to share with our audience?
[John] I think, you know, the parting words I'd say is, you know, you need to look at it differently. I think a lot of people look at it as a life and death sentence as if my life is going to suck from here on out. And I and I just firmly believe that if you have a different attitude, it's going to be a different outcome mentally and physically. So try to try to be as positive as possible.
[Jonathan] Okay, John, the book that you're coming out with, is that also going to be called It's Just Parkinson's?
[John] No, the name in the book is actually Unbreakable. Unbreakable: A Guide to Living with Adversity should be out in September and the time frame.
[Jonathan] A guide to Living with adversity. Yeah. All right. Well, to our audience, I want to thank you for watching, and make sure you go out today and rent the movie. It's just Parkinson's. You'll find the information. I'm going to show it right now after we finish this video. And you'll also find it in the comments, and make sure you look out for John's book, Unbreakable: A Guide to Living with Adversity. That will be coming out soon. And until next time, remember to stay hydrated with great conversations from Home Helpers’ Water Cooler Chat. Take care, everybody. And thank you, John and Pattie. Thank you, John.
Once again, thank you, John Cullen and Pattie Stoffel, for joining us today. Your journey and insights have truly touched our hearts. To our audience to watch the powerful movie, it's just Parkinson's. Simply visit. It's just Parkinson's dot com. Scroll down to see the section that says it's just Parkinson's is now available on Vimeo and then click the Watch Now button.
Also, if you're an organization interested in hosting a screening of its Just Parkinson's in your community, we encourage you to connect with the Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson's. You can reach them through their website at Neuro Challenge dot org or by calling 941-926-6413. Once again, thank you for being a part of this extraordinary interview. Let's continue to spread awareness.
Support one another and remember that we all have the power to conquer any challenge that comes our way. Never give up. Take care.
HOME HELPERS OF BRADENTON
Home Helpers of Bradenton is one of the region's leading home care franchises specializing in comprehensive services for seniors. Home Helpers' sole mission is to make life easier for clients and their families. Based in Bradenton, Florida, the company serves all of Manatee County, including the communities of Anna Maria, Bradenton, Bradenton Beach, Ellenton, Holmes Beach, Lakewood Ranch, Longboat Key, Palmetto, and Parrish. For more information or to request a free in-home care assessment, contact our office at (941) 499-5946 or visit our website at www.homehelpershomecare.com/bradenton
