24 Fox Focus | Community
Car
Enthusiasts
Driving toward
a Cure
PHOTO COURTESY OF DANVILLE D’ELEGANCE
by KAT MCCARRICK
When you’re diagnosed with young-onset
Parkinson’s disease (PD) at age 41, it can feel
as though your life has been derailed. For
Brian Stephenson, the physical symptoms
of disease such as dystonia (painful,
prolonged muscle contractions), were equally
manifested in his emotional wellbeing. Both
led to isolation. The constant pain in his feet
sidelined Brian from the activities he loved
and the freedom to keep up with his active
family. Touring college campuses with his son
proved difficult, putting the onus on his wife
Cadi. His anxiety and depression worsened.
Then he met Jim Edlund, co-founder of
the Danville d’Elegance Foundation. Since
2004, the foundation has hosted an annual
weekend of events for car enthusiasts in
Danville, California. Their mission is to
“Stop Parkinson’s in its tracks” by raising
funds for research and patient care. The
Michael J. Fox Foundation was named a key
beneficiary of the 2019 Danville d’Elegance
weekend, which took place in September.
Brian and Cadi’s involvement in the Danville
d’Elegance weekend started in 2011 and quickly
became a much-needed catalyst for change.
Not only were the Stephensons introduced
to other families with Parkinson’s, they were
able to channel their energy into one aspect of
the disease they could control: raising money
to speed a cure. Eventually, Brian joined the
Danville d’Elegance Board of Directors, he and
Cadi became active members of the planning
committee, and his kids got involved in
fundraising and volunteering.