{"podcast":{"title":"This is Parkinson's","slug":"this-is-parkinson-s-7724134","podcast_index_feed_id":7724134,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/thisisparkinsons","website_url":"https://thisisparkinsons.org","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/8edf04f2-124f-11f1-929d-cf51699e9ec2/image/029ceb1d399cdfe9b22525a0097af6c0.jpg?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"This is Parkinson's","episode_count":12,"summary":"In 2014, journalist Lisa Volenec was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. She stayed silent for years - until now. This is Parkinson's is her wayof breaking the silence and giving a voice to a community of more than 10 million people worldwide living with this incurable condition. Drawing on her years as a reporter, Lisa leads thoughtful, revealing conversations with people living with Parkinson’s, caregivers, and experts, because no two Parkinson’s journeys are the same. With episodes grounded in honesty, humor, and heart, this podcast is Lisa’s mission: to challenge stigma, build empathy, and create a place where people living with Parkinson’s feel seen, heard, and less alone. This half-hour + video/audio podcast will be available on Wednesdays on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. 🩵 Thank you for watching or listening! We appreciate your support. ꕤ For more information: thisisparkinsons.org ꕤ To help and donate: https://bit.ly/thisisparkinsonsdonate","last_synced_at":"2026-06-18T04:18:34.548293+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-is-parkinson-s-7724134"},"episode":{"title":"Ep. 10  Finding Help, Then Finding Hope. Luke and Allison’s Story | This is Parkinson’s Podcast","slug":"ep-10-finding-help-then-finding-hope-luke-and-allison-s-story-this-is-parkinson-s-podcast","published_at":"2026-05-13T13:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-is-parkinson-s-7724134/ep-10-finding-help-then-finding-hope-luke-and-allison-s-story-this-is-parkinson-s-podcast","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-is-parkinson-s-7724134","url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CTCPO3400291183.mp3","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CTCPO3400291183.mp3","summary":"When the \"Standard\" Plan Changes: Gene Therapy, Godwinks, and the Power of Persistence. On this episode of This Is Parkinson’s, host Lisa Volenec sits down with her friend Allison Stieb for a raw, conversational look at the hurdles of seeking care from rural Nebraska. So, what do you do when you’re told there’s a nine-month wait just to see a specialist? If you’re Allison Stieb, you keep pushing until you find a \"Godwink.\" Allison shares the incredible story of how a chance connection led her husband, Luke, from a frustrating standstill to the \"ground floor\" of a cutting-edge gene therapy clinical trial at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. We also dive into the reality of being a caregiver, the sticker shock of private insurance, and the emotional rollercoaster of pivoting from Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) to a brand-new medical frontier. In this episode, we talk about: The \"Squeaky Wheel\" Effect: How persistence (and a little help from friends) can bypass nine-month waiting lists. Gene Therapy vs. DBS: Understanding the \"one and done\" potential of new clinical trials. The Caregiver’s Perspective: Navigating the shift from independent life to a \"new normal\" on the farm. Financial Realities: The high cost of Parkinson’s and the unexpected relief of trial-funded care. Hit that Follow button to join our community. Whether you’re a patient, a caregiver, or an advocate, we’re here to show you that you don’t have to navigate this journey alone. ━━━━━━ ꕤ Support the mission of This is Parkinson’s Donate here: https://bit.ly/thisisparkinsonsdonate ━━━━━━ ꕤ Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisparkinsonsofficial Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thisisparkinsons ━━━━━━ ꕤ About This is Parkinson’s: This is Parkinson’s is a nonprofit storytelling platform dedicated to sha…","meta_description":"When the \"Standard\" Plan Changes: Gene Therapy, Godwinks, and the Power of Persistence. On this episode of This Is Parkinson’s, host Lisa Volenec sits dow…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1939,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/this-is-parkinson-s-7724134/episodes/ep-10-finding-help-then-finding-hope-luke-and-allison-s-story-this-is-parkinson-s-podcast/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-is-parkinson-s-7724134/ep-10-finding-help-then-finding-hope-luke-and-allison-s-story-this-is-parkinson-s-podcast.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}