{"id":17831,"date":"2024-05-02T09:30:16","date_gmt":"2024-05-02T13:30:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/?p=17831"},"modified":"2024-05-02T09:30:16","modified_gmt":"2024-05-02T13:30:16","slug":"military-vet-takes-on-new-service-of-helping-others-after-parkinsons-diagnosis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/2024\/05\/military-vet-takes-on-new-service-of-helping-others-after-parkinsons-diagnosis.html","title":{"rendered":"Military Vet Takes on ‘New Service’ of Helping Others After Parkinson’s Diagnosis"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Parkinson’s Foundation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After 17 years of serving his country, Mark Kelm is now giving a different type of service: he’s advocating for others who, like him, are living with Parkinson’s disease. Kelm, who lives in a small Minnesota with his wife and three children, was only 38 years old when he was diagnosed with PD, a nervous system disorder that causes stiffness, tremors, loss of balance, and other movement issues. He credits his military background for preparing him for his latest challenge.<\/p>\n

He told Fox News Digital in an interview, “I believe the times that I had in the military really prepared me to handle living with a disease like Parkinson’s \u2014 knowing how to adapt and overcome in any given circumstance. And I think those life skills that I learned\u00a0in the Army\u00a0are still quite useful today.” Raised by a police deputy and a nurse, Kelm said that for as long as he can remember, his life has been geared toward service. Since enlisting in the\u00a0Army Reserves\u00a0in 1989, Kelp has served many years of active duty, spent time in the National Guard and held a role as a military chaplain. In 2006, Kelm transitioned to\u00a0a role as a chaplain\u00a0for a federal law enforcement agency.<\/p>\n

Two years later, at just 38, he was alarmed when he started experiencing involuntary twitching.\u00a0“One muscle in my arm kept twitching, and it was causing my finger to twitch as well, and it just wouldn’t stop,” he recalled.\u00a0That began Kelm’s journey toward a diagnosis of\u00a0young-onset Parkinson’s, which he received at the Mayo Clinic’s neurology department in Minnesota. He said, “That was a pretty dark day \u2014 knowing that it’s a progressive, degenerative neurological disorder that currently does not have a cure or any disease-modifying drugs.” He continued, “After having my own little pity party after my diagnosis, I realized that wasn’t really helpful.”<\/p>\n