Larry Gifford

Cofounder

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Larry’s Journey

Parkinson’s Community Roles

President, Co-Founder PD Avengers

Host, When Life Gives You Parkinson’s Podcast

Host, Michael J. Fox Foundation’s Parkinson’s Podcast

Ambassador, World Parkinson Congress 2023 in Barcelona

Editorial Board, Journal of Parkinson’s Disease

Keynote Speaker and Panelist

Invited Participant, World Health Organization Workshop: Addressing the Public Health Importance of Parkinson’s Disease

Larry, Rebecca and Henry Gifford reside in Vancouver, Canada

Published Journal Articles

Journal of Parkinson’s Disease | The Early Treatment Phase in Parkinson’s Disease: Not a Honeymoon for All, Not a Honeymoon at All?. Journal of Parkinson's Disease. 1-6. 10.3233/JPD-225064. Canovas, Araceli & Voeten, Jos & Gifford, Larry & Thomas, Omotola & Lees, Andrew & Bloem, Bastiaan. (2023).

JAMA Neurol. Published online July 11, 2022. Six Action Steps to Address Global Disparities in Parkinson Disease A World Health Organization Priority
DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2022.1783. Online ahead of print. PMID: 35816299

NPJ | Parkinson’s Disease | The Silver Lining of Parkinson’s Disease - Alonso-Canovas, A., Voeten, J., Thomas, O. et al. The silver linings of Parkinson’s disease. npj Parkinsons Dis. 8, 21 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41531-022-00283-1

Contributions and Mentions in Books

DBS DIARY by Dr. Jon Stamford and friends (contributor)

Ending Parkinson’s Disease (PD Avengers noted in the paperback update) by Ray Dorsey MD, Todd Sherer PhD, Michael S. Okun MD, Bastiaan R. Bloem MD, PhD

The Promise of Lithium: How an Over-the-Counter Supplement May Prevent and Slow Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease (Back Cover Endorsement) by Thomas Guttuso Jr. MD

Welcome to the YOPD CLUB: 10 Inspirational Stories From 10 People Living With Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease Paperback – Oct. 30 2020

Documentary: The Long Road to Hope: Ending Parkinson’s Disease

Larry Gifford, 52, is a seasoned storyteller and radio professional who was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson's Disease in August 2017. He underwent Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in 2023.

In 2018, he launched his podcast, "When Life Gives You Parkinson's," as he couldn't find a patient perspective podcast that resonated with him. His vast experience in the radio industry and his innate storytelling abilities made him realize that his search for the perfect podcast was a sign to create his own.

In 2020, Larry was inspired by the book "Ending Parkinson's Disease" and organized a series of Zoom calls to discuss the book's concepts with others during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. This led to the formation of The PD Avengers, a global coalition that is focused on taking action to end Parkinson's Disease. Larry, along with Soania and Tim, incorporated the "Global Coalition to End Parkinson's Disease Association" with the dba "PD Avengers" in the Fall of 2020.

Through his podcast and his work with The PD Avengers, Larry is dedicated to sharing his experience with Parkinson's Disease, raising awareness about the disease, and advocating for research and solutions that will help end Parkinson's Disease.