Be informed. Be active. Be engaged.

Davis Phinney is being honored as a Champion of Change in the Fight Against Parkinson's Disease.

I carried the Olympic torch as part of the torch relay when it came through Boulder en route to the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City in 2002. That feeling, that responsibility, that obligation of bearing the torch – an inspiring symbol of light and hope – has stayed with me, and it informs everything that we do at the Davis Phinney Foundation.

The Davis Phinney Foundation’s programs do more than educate; they motivate. Motivation is important to people with Parkinson’s, because it’s easy to let apathy set in and to wait to feel better. We’re saying, ‘don’t wait – take that first step, it’s empowering.’ We’re out to change what it means to live with Parkinson’s. Our message is this: be informed. Be active. Be engaged. Get out there and take control of your destiny. Participate actively in your own care. If, through the Foundation, we can convince everyone living with this disease to do one thing today, make one small change that’s going to have a positive impact on quality of life, then we’ve succeeded.

2015 marks the second decade of the Davis Phinney Foundation, and we’re still committed to our original vision: to help people with Parkinson’s live well today. I’m excited to see the Foundation expanding its reach, providing much-needed information to a wider audience, whether they’re tuning in to our webinars, coming to The Victory Summit^® events or downloading our self-care manual, “Every Victory Counts,” or our terrific exercise video, “Parkinson’s Exercise Essentials.” Last year, we partnered with Move4Parkinson’s to bring our educational event to Ireland. This year, we’ll be taking it on the road to Malaysia. Wherever there are people who want to live better, today and for the long term, we’re finding ways to reach them with the support and tools they need to succeed.

Davis Phinney is the founder and board vice-chair of the Davis Phinney Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to providing information, inspiration, tools and research to help people living with Parkinson’s disease to live well today.