Ted Kitchel learned toughness from his mother—and from playing basketball for legendary IU coach Bobby Knight. That resilience is something Ted draws upon today.

In 2015, Ted noticed a tremor in his right hand. A neurologist needed less than 20 minutes to diagnose him with Parkinson’s disease, the second-most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s. Its symptoms include slowness of movement, balance issues, tremors, and stiff muscles. Alone, the disease isn’t fatal, but its resulting complications can be.

Kitchel connected with faculty at IU, which the Parkinson’s Foundation has named a Center of Excellence. The School of Medicine is a site for clinical trials testing new medicines to treat Parkinson’s symptoms and slow its progression. It also carries out studies on ultrasound as a treatment for motor symptoms.

IU also boasts an NIH-backed repository that collects blood, tissue, and other samples to help researchers here and nationwide plot out biological and clinical changes. These studies could help experts identify early signals of the disease or find new targets for treatment.

For his part, Ted takes part in a boxing-oriented exercise regimen designed to help people with Parkinson’s Disease maintain balance, coordination, and strength. It literally allows Ted to fight back against his disease.

And Ted hasn’t just been thinking of himself. His annual golf event in Greenwood raises money for Parkinson’s research at the School of Medicine. Now, we hope you join Ted’s family and closest friends to fund research to help IU find answers that will benefit patients in Indiana and beyond.