In 2014, Stephen Belfiore found out he had Parkinson’s disease–a diagnosis which hit harder than any haymaker inside of the ring.
But since then, the Thomaston man has fought back and has even taken up boxing to ramp up his defenses against the disease.
Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder that makes it difficult for people to move. The disorder, which is of the central nervous system, also can include tremors.
There are certain boxing gyms, including Rock Steady Boxing, which offer specific classes for those individuals who are fighting the disease.
“We are learning everyday that there are ways in which people with Parkinson’s disease can enhance their daily quality of life and even build impressive power, strength, flexibility and speed! By exercising with coaches who know the ropes, you can fight your way out of the corner and start to feel and function better,” states the Rock Steady Boxing website.
Exercise, including the coordination-heavy moves of boxing, is increasingly recommended for Parkinson’s patients as a way to alleviate symptoms and network with others who faced the same diagnosis.
In June, Belfiore, 58, was driving past a small shopping plaza on Watertown Road when he noticed a new business. Later, at home, he came across an article in the Republican-American about that business, Blue Boy Boxing Club.
He said he normally only reads the first paragraph of a story, but something intrigued him about the club. When he read that Blue Boy offers classes for people with Parkinson’s, he drove there the next day.
“I’ve been coming ever since,” said Belfiore said. “Everyone in my family said they could see the difference right away–both mentally and physically.”
According to Natural Horizons Wellness Centers in Fairfax, Virginia, cancer, auto-immune diseases and neurological disorders are on the rise–and that includes Parkinson’s disease.
But with the addition of institutions like Rock Steady Boxing and Blue Boy Boxing Club, boxing is giving individuals a fighting chance against Parkinson’s disease.
