{"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.9 Original Besties: How a Parkinson's Diagnosis Changed Our Friendship","slug":"ep-9-original-besties-how-a-parkinson-s-diagnosis-changed-our-friendship","published_at":"2026-05-13T03:40:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-is-parkinson-s-7724134/ep-9-original-besties-how-a-parkinson-s-diagnosis-changed-our-friendship","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-is-parkinson-s-7724134","url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CTCPO6347533580.mp3","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CTCPO6347533580.mp3","summary":"What does a lifelong friendship look like when it’s met with a life-altering diagnosis? In this episode of This Is Parkinson’s, host Lisa Volenec sits down with her best friend of over 50 years, Dawn Blankenship. From being born three days apart to navigating the \"bomb\" of a Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2014, their bond has remained unshakable. Lisa and Dawn pull back the curtain on the \"off\" episodes, the reality of Parkinson’s tremors, and the terrifying moments—like a trip to the ER—that test the limits of support. But in true Lisa and Dawn fashion, they also find the humor in the heavy, discussing everything from \"blinged-out self-defense kits\" to the impulsive TikTok shopping that can sometimes accompany a PD journey. In this episode, we explore: The Diagnosis Call: Memories from the day the \"bomb\" dropped and how Dawn processed the news. Support vs. Helplessness: What it’s like to witness a loved one’s physical struggles and the power of just \"showing up.\" Humor as Medicine: Why being able to laugh at the \"ugly\" parts of PD is a survival tool. A Letter to the Future: Lisa and Dawn open letters they wrote to themselves six months ago, reflecting on clarity, pressure, and self-doubt. Whether you are a Parkinson’s caregiver, a patient, or someone who simply believes in the power of a \"soul-sister\" friendship, this episode is a testament to the fact that while Parkinson’s is part of the story, it doesn't get to be the lead character. ━━━━━━ 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…","meta_description":"What does a lifelong friendship look like when it’s met with a life-altering diagnosis? In this episode of This Is Parkinson’s, host Lisa Volenec sits dow…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2038,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/this-is-parkinson-s-7724134/episodes/ep-9-original-besties-how-a-parkinson-s-diagnosis-changed-our-friendship/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-9-original-besties-how-a-parkinson-s-diagnosis-changed-our-friendship.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}