My Rebellion Is Cycling
In 2007, at just 33 years old, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. My youngest child was only three months old. Instead of thinking about retirement decades away, I was forced to confront a disease I thought only affected older people. Suddenly, my future—and my family’s future—felt uncertain.
Nearly twenty years later, I’m still here. Still fighting. Still moving.
I consider myself incredibly fortunate. I’ve beaten many of the averages of typical Parkinson’s progression, and I credit that to three things: my faith, outstanding medical care, and intense exercise. Parkinson’s has taken its toll, but exercise—especially cycling—has given me something back. It has given me strength, clarity, and hope.
When I’m on my bike, I don’t feel like a patient. I feel like myself.
Cycling has become my therapy and my rebellion. Parkinson’s wants me to slow down. Cycling reminds me that I still can move forward.
Over the years, Parkinson’s has also given me something unexpected: a mission. I’ve worked to advocate for our community, including speaking out at the 2025 Parkinson’s Policy Forum to support banning Paraquat, a chemical linked to Parkinson’s risk. I’ve helped raise money for for several Parkinson’s charities participating in bike rides and triathlons. Recently founded Cycling to End Parkinson’s Disease, a nonprofit dedicated to sharing the powerful role exercise plays in slowing disease progression.
But one of the most transformative moments in my journey came in July 2023, when I attended the 6th World Parkinson Congress in Barcelona.
There, I witnessed something unforgettable. People living with Parkinson’s had cycled hundreds of miles across Europe to attend the Congress. Teams rode from England, Spain, and Italy—not because it was easy, but because it was meaningful.
They weren’t just traveling to a conference.
They were making a statement.
Parkinson’s does not define our limits.
I knew then that I wanted to bring that same spirit home.
That inspiration became Team Utah’s Pedal to Phoenix.
This May, we will begin a 21-day cycling journey from Salt Lake City to Phoenix, arriving just before the launch of WPC 2026 on Friday, May 22nd. We will set off on May 2nd at Moving Day Salt Lake City, surrounded by the Parkinson’s community that has supported me for so many years, and we’ll roll into Phoenix with the two other cycling teams for a Welcome party on May 22nd that I will relish.
This ride is about far more than distance.
It’s about proving—to ourselves and to others—that life doesn’t end with a Parkinson’s diagnosis.
It’s about showing newly diagnosed individuals that there is still hope, still strength, and still adventure ahead.
It’s about raising awareness for the importance of exercise—not as an option, but as a critical part of living well with Parkinson’s.
And it’s about carrying the stories of so many people who cannot make this ride themselves.
Parkinson’s is relentless. It challenges you physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It forces you to confront your limitations.
But it also teaches you what truly matters.
It has taught me to cherish my family. To appreciate every sunrise. To value every mile.
Most importantly, it has taught me that movement is life.
My message to anyone living with Parkinson’s is simple: exercise every day you possibly can. It doesn’t matter what you choose—cycling, boxing, walking, dancing, yoga. Find something you love, because joy is part of the medicine. As I often say, “We can’t give up, we can’t let it win!”
This May, Team Utah will pedal toward Phoenix with purpose.
When we arrive at the 7th World Parkinson Congress, it won’t just mark the end of a 21-day ride.
It will be a celebration.
A declaration.
A reminder that Parkinson’s may be part of our lives—but it does not get to decide how we live them.
We will arrive stronger than when we started.
Not because Parkinson’s made us weaker.
But because it taught us how strong we really are.
And we’re just getting started.
Rob Warner (USA) is the organizer for the Pedal to Phoenix Team Utah.
Ideas and opinions expressed in this post reflect that of the author(s) solely. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the World Parkinson Coalition®