Healthcare Directory

32 | 2023 Medical & Dental Directory Tony and Ann Cimaglia are donating more than $500,000 to Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation's Caring for the Future campaign to expand care for neurological diseases, with an emphasis on Parkinson's. Contributed photo Melissa Wisneski, director of rehabilitation therapy services at Cape Fear Valley, says having a nearby Rock Steady program will be important for local Parkinson's patients. The Rock Steady regimen incorporates exercises typically used by boxers – patients actually use boxing gloves and punching bags to strengthen balance, coordination and endurance. and buy in to regular physical therapy sessions, say therapists Farnham and Wisneski. "There is no cure," adds Wisneski. "It's not something we are going to fix." But for Tony Cimaglia and others, that's no reason to give up in the fight for a more robust tomorrow. The Cimaglias hope this gift will continue to transform therapy for Parkinson's patients in the area and improve the quality of life for patients for many years to come. Primary symptoms include trembling in hands, legs and face; stiffness of the limbs; slowness of movement; and impaired balance and coordination. The disease is both chronic and progressive, and there is no known cure. Melissa Wisneski, director of rehabilitation therapy services at Cape Fear Valley, says having a nearby Rock Steady program will be important for local Parkinson's patients. "A lot of people go north for care," she says, "which puts undue stress on families and is not necessary." Travel distance makes it difficult for some to commit fully to the program. The Rock Steady regimen incorporates exercises typically used by boxers – patients actually use boxing gloves and punching bags to strengthen balance, coordination and endurance. Cape Fear Valley is in the process of applying with Rock Steady Boxing for approval to start the program in Fayetteville, Wisneski says. Therapists will need training, and equipment must be purchased. The goal is to have the program up and running this fall. "With the new Neuroscience Institute at Cape Fear Valley opening later this summer, this was the ideal time for the Cimaglias to ensure this expanded care included the resources needed for those living with Parkinson's Disease," says Sabrina Brooks, vice president of the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation. Tony Cimaglia says working with a personal trainer three times a week helps him stay committed to dealing with Parkinson's. "It gets intense," he says of the workouts. Because of the progressive nature of the disorder, it's important to stay active

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