#244 How to Live Well with Parkinson’s Disease

In observance of Parkinson's disease awareness month, we are excited to speak with special guests Michael S. Fitts and Dr. Reversa Joseph.

Michael S. Fitts recent retiree, served as assistant dean for user access and diversity at The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB Libraries). He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2011 at age 38. In 2001 he became the first African American faculty member of the Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences and later went on to become both the first African American assistant director and assistant dean. In 2015, Michael was appointed to the UAB/Lakeshore Research Collaborative — an organization whose primary goal is to promote the health and wellness of people with disabilities. In addition to his nearly 30-year career with UAB, he actively serves as an advocate for the education of those with early-onset Parkinson’s by being an example of living successfully and productively with the disease. Since 2018, Michael has served on the Board of Directors for the Parkinson Association of Alabama, contributing to outreach across the state. Additionally, he actively contributes to the Michael J. Fox Foundation Patient Council and serve as a Research Advocate for the Parkinson’s Foundation, supporting research and patient engagement.

Dr. Reversa Joseph began her journey into medicine with a passion for solving problems and seeking answers, which naturally led me to neuroscience. However, witnessing my father, a Vietnam veteran, struggle with Parkinson’s disease (PD) became the pivotal moment that directed her toward Neurology and ultimately specializing in Movement Disorders. This deeply personal experience profoundly shaped her life and her family’s.

One unforgettable experience was transitioning her practice from an academic institution to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to address the unmet needs of veterans with movement disorders. Driven by her father’s condition, this shift was both uplifting and challenging. This significant transition was driven by a clear unmet need and her desire to serve our veterans, honoring my father’s condition and his service to our country.

At the VA, Dr. Joseph developed and leads a Movement Disorders Clinic, directing a Multidisciplinary Care Team to provide comprehensive, integrative care to veterans with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders. This endeavor has been deeply fulfilling and reinforced her commitment to serving vulnerable populations and improving healthcare access.

Dr. Joseph’s involvement with the Parkinson's Foundation began in 2018 as a board member for the Great Lakes Chapter. Throughout the years, she has supported the Foundation by giving various presentations on topics such as PD 101, Women and Parkinson's Disease, and Integrative Therapies and PD. She also participates in Moving Day with her team, Vets on the Move.

Dr. Joseph is particularly proud of our efforts to mitigate health inequities in people living with Parkinson’s through targeted and tailored training in research advocacy. One of her

most rewarding contributions has been to help develop a novel Learning Institute using culturally responsive pedagogy to train African Americans living with Parkinson’s and their care partners to collaborate with researchers and scientists as primary partners in the drug development process.

Additionally, Dr. Joseph has given national lectures for the Parkinson’s Foundation to raise awareness about Parkinson’s disease and the Black community, addressing issues such as late and misdiagnosis, treatment and overall care. Dr. Joseph works to provide a framework on how to mitigate these disparities. She has also participated in various podcasts to raise awareness that Parkinson’s also affects African Americans. Her volunteer work is driven by a desire to make a tangible difference, to support an organization that supports so many, and to contribute to t