Cumberland County author living with Parkinson’s starts podcast after losing his ability to write

• Aniya Faulcon
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Aniya Faulcon is The Spark Host/Producer for WITF. She has a passion for shining a light on unique people, experiences, and perspectives within the community.
  
  Previously she worked as the People and Social Trends Reporter/Video Anchor for LancasterOnline | LNPNews. During her time there, she created video packages, provided Facebook Live coverage at community events, and wrote data-driven stories with census data and feature stories on local leaders, non-profit organizations, events, and people with unique talents and experiences within Lancaster County.
  
  Aniya also worked at WMAR ABC 2 News as a Sales Assistant and at the AFRO American Newspapers as an Executive Assistant and Media correspondent. Aniya interned at WEAA Gospel Grace 88.9 and worked at her alma mater’s radio station, WWPJ at Point Park University, where she gained skills and a passion for radio.
  
  Aniya grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and attended the Baltimore School for the arts for high school with a concentration in acting. She continued to hone her skills and passion for storytelling and later graduated from Point Park University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and Broadcast Reporting. Aniya is eager to continue her journey with storytelling in her role with WITF, as she aims to shed a light on real people and real stories within Pennsylvania in a variety of mediums.

 Sue Ludwig

People living with Parkinson's disease boxing at Crush PD Fitness.

Airdate: Thursday, February 9, 2023

According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease each year and about one million people live with Parkinson’s disease within the United States.

On The Spark Thursday, we were joined by Terry Walters, a Cumberland County author living with Parkinson’s disease, who discussed his story and career. After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease about twelve years ago, he nearly lost his ability to write but found another way to be creative through his new podcast, Alex and Terry’s Boomer MusicCast.

Due to Parkinson’s disease, Walters can’t write, he loss his sense of smell, his motor skills are compromised, he has challenges with his short-term and long-term memory, and he said he can’t type three words without making an error. Walters’ said, these symptoms are frustrating because they effect his ability to write books, communicate and do daily tasks efficiently.

Walters said, he remains positive and combats Parkinson’s disease symptoms by boxing and playing pickle ball.

Walters’ also found another way to be creative through a podcast that he hosts with his co-host, Alexander Mullin, called Alex and Terry’s Boomer MusicCast that highlights music within the boomer generation and its importance.

“I think music is helpful for a lot of diseases… I think music is important for everybody.” Walters said. “I just feel like I’m on the right track to slow it (Parkinson’s disease) down as long as I can. And everybody at an advanced age seems to be afflicted with something. So I figure that’s my burden to bear.”