PUNCHOUT PARKINSONS ADVISORY BOARD

Lorraine is a certified professional accountant with a background in public accounting as well as business management of small-medium sized businesses and non-profits.  She has spent many years as a volunteer with Girl Guides of Canada and various homeschool organizations.  Her love of horses and passion for helping vulnerable youth led her to form a charitable organization for the purpose of bringing the many benefits of horse involvement to those youth who would not otherwise have the opportunity.  As a certified equine assisted learning facilitator, as well as President and Founding Director, she now offers life skills programs to struggling youth through the registered charity, Camino Ranch Assn.

I'm Farooque Syed,  Author of the book Stolen Dreams which is not only my story of how I got involved in gangs and drugs but also an educational guide for parents and youth on what signs to look for and street knowledge to stay safe from gang recruitment and drug usage. I'm also very passionate about spreading awareness of Parkinson's disease.  I have had Parkinson's for about 10 years.  I got it in my early 40s and it's changed my life forever.  

I want to help others by sharing my story and struggles. I used to think "why me" How come God chose me, and gave me this horrible debilitating disease. My brain started thinking of all the reasons why. It must have been a punishment from God for all the evil things I did as a former gang member perhaps or maybe Prison wasn't enough and I was supposed to be punished more with Parkinson's. After All it affects and cripples mentally, emotionally and physically. At this point I hated God. How could he being so Merciful and Compassionate do this to me? I went into a deep depression and felt as if I was left for dead. 

Then I somehow by chance ran into a lady named Laurentia LaSasso. She and her son Frankie ran boxing classes for Parkinson's patients that would help not only slow it down but might even reverse symptoms. The classes are always free and I had nothing left to lose so I was in. Not only did the boxing classes help me physically as I stopped using my walking cane, they helped me mentally and emotionally from the interaction with the other people and their families. 

Punch Out Parkinson's has not only changed my life but probably saved it. You see, I realized that God didn't punish me, at all. I feel he gave me an avenue through the Parkinson's so that I can be an advocate, help and spread awareness about this awful debilitating and crippling disease that is spreading like wildfire. 

If I didn't have Parkinson's I would not have met wonderful caring people like Laurentia, Frankie and all the amazing people Punch Out Parkinson's Charity has brought into my life. So you see God has a purpose and so do I, and so do You. 

Amanda is a licensed insurance broker with Gold Key Insurance. She has built a 9 figure sales organization in the Network Marketing space and has served on several advisory boards. 

She is a passionate mom to her 13 year old Jaxten and has had developed a passion for philanthropy after being involved in numerous organizations such as Make a wish foundation, Isagenix legacy foundation, Serve international and the salvation army. 

At the age of three, the desire to be just like her big sis and dance, quickly turned into a passion for the arts, and eventually blossomed into a career. 

Alana completed the AIDT (Association of International  Dance Teachers) exams and achieved Honours With Distinction in the advanced syllabus. Outside of the studio, she took summer acting classes and performed in the Royal City Youth Ballet Company’s tour of “The  Nutcracker”. 

 Alana continued her dance education overseas at the  University of Central Lancashire in Preston, England, through a Bachelor  of Arts Degree in Dance Performance and Teaching. While there, she  performed throughout Northern England with the Preston Youth Dance  Company and the UCLAN Dance Competitive Team. 

 In the summer of 2017 Alana graduated from UCLAN with honours, at which  time she returned to the Lower Mainland. She has achieved the level of Advanced Associate of  the AIDT program, with many of her students receiving top marks in their exams. She has also continued her education in Vaganova Ballet  through the Society of Russian Ballet, and has received certification through Alixa Flexibility. 

Owning her own studio had always been a dream!  Alana’s Young At Arts Dance Academy is a place where dance is for everyone. Her belief is that dance is an important tool that creates well rounded and driven young humans, as well as a useful outlet for adults to relieve stress and keep active. Her support for the Parkinson's Community led her to become certified as a dance instructor for those with PD. Please feel free to ask Alana more about this amazing program!