To the casual passerby on the street, Paul Cluff looks pretty much like everybody else. Most people won’t notice anything unusual about him. Paul handles his Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease (YOPD) pretty well. He attributes his success in managing his symptoms to be, in large part, due to exercise.
As Paul has experienced first hand the difference exercise can make in the life of someone suffering from YOPD, he has a real passion for it. In fact, he’s made it his mission to make exercise assessable to every young person with Parkinson’s Disease through his non-profit Can’t Shake Me (CSM). Through his regular, in person zoom workouts he encourages and inspires his fellow YOPD’ers. Paul takes it upon himself to serve as an encouraging example of what a guy with Parkinson’s can physically do. His YouTube channel is full of inspiring workouts designed for anyone to follow along with. He also regularly posts updates on his journey to deadlift 405 lbs. An incredible feat for a guy with YOPD that only weighs 135 lbs.
I first met Paul back in 2018, shortly after I was diagnosed with YOPD. At the time I was still learning to deal with the earth shattering news. As a life-long exerciser myself, I was quick to incorporate exercise into my daily routine, and also noted the power it had in managing Parkinson’s symptoms. But Parkinson’s is a nasty beast. Not only does it throw a wrench into the finely tuned (and poorly understood) neurological processes responsible for smooth, deliberate movement, it can also wreak havoc on a YOPD sufferers mental health. Lack of motivation, feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, and depression, are all common in YOPD. Paul’s pure energy, drive, and passion for exercise helped me stay engaged with exercise and reap the many benefits. And it still does to this day, over three years later.
I’ve always been a fan of Paul and his non-profit CSM. I know that he has already had a positive impact on many, with and without YOPD. I hope that you too will give Paul and CSM a look. Maybe even join him in his Unshakeable Mission.
CSM Website: https://www.cantshakeme.org/
CSM YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfxw47LGwReEmcTNrKcgqBQ
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