In late 2018, Tribe Wellness developed PEAK Performers (PP). The need came out of analysis of the group programs at Tribe Wellness. Tribe Wellness was determined to find a way to get people with PD to walk and work on their walking mechanics with greater consistency. The importance of specific training as a key principle of neuroplasticity, along with the difficulty PD patients have walking, led to the birth of PEAK Performers. Founder of Tribe Wellness and PEAK Performers, Mike Braitsch notes, “We ‘climb new heights’ for Parkinson's by training through a combination of structured solo practice along with regular group hikes.”
The goals of PEAK Performers are:
- raise awareness about PD
- create specific long-term goals for PP
- raise money for Parkinson's-related organizations
- show people that a diagnosis is not a death sentence
- practice and demonstrate the value of exercise
In just one year, PEAK Performers has completed two hikes. In the fall of 2018, PP climbed the highest peak in Texas (Guadalupe Peak) as a fundraiser for DAPS. The second was held in conjunction with the Davis Phinney Foundation's Victory Summit Austin event, which involved a hike around Ladybird Lake in downtown Austin just before the conference. Proceeds from the Austin hike were donated to keep the Every Victory Counts manual in print as it is an excellent resource for people with PD.
To read the complete story on PEAK Performers’ hike in Austin, follow this link:
This year the PEAK Performers will walk a 3.5-mile loop at Turner Falls in Oklahoma. If you would like to donate to the current PEAK performers campaign, please do so here:
https://daps.us/peak-performers-2019
