The Pulse

Racing to Slow Down

Parkinson’s Disease

by Jeanne M. Hoban

A few years ago, Sara Whittingham, M.D., was sitting on the couch at her home and noticed a tremor in her arm. So, she did what many people do when they experience an unexpected symptom. She searched the internet for possible causes.

Over and over again, the search results delivered links to information on Parkinson’s disease.

While she was aware of the disease, her knowledge of it was tied to things she had learned in medical school more than 20 years before. Her textbooks had left her with the impression that Parkinson’s disease manifests as a hunched over older person, who shuffles, shakes, needs constant care and is on an inevitable downward trajectory. Dr. Whittingham initially felt overwhelmed by that imagined prognosis. As a physician, U.S. Air Force veteran and active triathlete, it was not the future she had pictured for herself.

Sara Whittingham swimming, running and biking.

So, she decided to take action.

She consulted a neurologist at the Cleveland Clinic, where she works as an anesthesiologist. In addition to providing a diagnosis and care, he shared information on a research study run by Jay L. Alberts, Ph.D., vice chair of innovations within the Neurological Institute. She enrolled in the trial, through which Dr. Alberts aims to determine if long-term, high-intensity aerobic exercise can slow the advancement of Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Whittingham soon realized how much exercise helped reduce her symptoms.

“I am probably the luckiest Parkinson’s patient in the world,” she said. “One of my favorite hobbies and one of the things I’m most passionate about, which is fitness and running and racing – I love to race – is the thing that’s going to help me the most and help me to keep ahead of Parkinson’s disease.”

“I am probably the luckiest Parkinson’s patient in the world,” she said. “One of my favorite hobbies and one of the things I’m most passionate about, which is fitness and running and racing – I love to race – is the thing that’s going to help me the most and help me to keep ahead of Parkinson’s disease.”

— Sara Whittingham, M.D.

Sara Whittingham, M.D., was invited to participate in (and finished!) the 2023 Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. She shared her story and how she prepared for the race.

Dr. Whittingham put that passion to the test, contacting the Ironman organization for a chance to compete in the 2023 Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. She was accepted into the race, which she saw as an opportunity to raise awareness of the benefits of exercise in mitigating the effects of Parkinson’s disease and to raise funds for Parkinson’s research at NEOMED. Her efforts led to an appearance on Today with Hoda and Jenna, participation on a panel during the Ironman race and a featured story in the Ironman 2023 documentary, as well as a host of media interviews.

She successfully completed the grueling 140.6-mile race that includes a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile marathon.

She has also become a vocal advocate for post-911 veterans, who seem to be contracting early-onset Parkinson’s disease at a higher rate than the general population.

Dr. Whittingham shared her story on TODAY with Hoda and Jenna.

Sara Whittingham, M.D. crosses the finishes line

Sara Whittingham, M.D., crosses the finishes line following the 140.6-mile race in the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.

Advocacy efforts

Dr. Whittingham continues to use exercise to manage her Parkinson’s symptoms and continues to raise awareness. She has also become a vocal advocate for post-911 veterans, who seem to be contracting early-onset Parkinson’s disease at a higher rate than the general population.

“About 18 months after my diagnosis, I learned that one of my Air Force Academy track teammates, Jenna, had also been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease,” Dr. Whittingham told an audience during a presentation on NEOMED’s VITALS | Visionary Health Leadership in Action thought leadership series.

Dr. Whittingham’s advocacy work with fellow veterans was featured on WKYC TV-3.

Both women are physicians, both were deployed to Afghanistan and both were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease the same month. They decided to look into it further and discovered that three other people who had been with them at the Air Force Academy were also diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease.

“This put it at, at least one in 1,000… that’s about five times higher than the general population,” Dr. Whittingham noted in her presentation.

She sees hope in research like that conducted by NEOMED researcher Sheila Fleming, Ph.D., whose current work studying the impact of exercise in slowing or stopping the spread of Parkinson’s disease is funded by the Department of Defense/United States Army Medical Research.

Read more at 380cebbe0d.nxcli.io/parkinsons.

Photos courtesy of Sara Whittingham, M.D.

Dr. Whittingham shared her advocacy work on VITALS | Visionary Health Leadership in Action, NEOMED’s health leadership program in collaboration with University Hospitals.

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