Community
All in the
Family
Mike Haverly’s father, Neil, lived
with Parkinson’s disease (PD) for
a decade before passing away
in 2012. While his Halfmoon,
New York family came together
to celebrate Neil as “a kind
soul,” they also began to seek
ways, one by one, to honor
his memory through their
generosity, fundraising efforts
and commitment to supporting
critical research for a cure.
Mike and Stephanie Haverly (center), with their children
(L to R) Amanda, Meredith and Justin
for Amanda, she asked guests to contribute
to the Foundation in lieu of gifts. The oldest
daughter, Meredith, is in her senior year as
a biology major at Providence College in
Rhode Island and is fascinated by the human
brain. In fact, she has been involved with a
research project under the auspices of one of
her professors. In a laboratory setting, she has
been focusing on Lewy bodies — abnormal
clumps of a protein called alpha-synuclein
that form the hallmark of Parkinson’s. As this
newsletter was going to print, Meredith and
her lab partners were preparing to share
results of their research at the annual meeting
of the American Society of Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology.
Three years ago, in addition to making an
annual gift, Mike ran the TCS New York City
Marathon with Team Fox, raising more than
$36,000 for the Foundation. He hopes to
take on another in the future. Mike’s wife,
Stephanie, has been an avid supporter
as well, cheering him along his runs and
continuing to join him in his annual giving
efforts.
Mike couldn’t be prouder of his family’s
shared dedication to speeding a cure.
He’s also optimistic about recent strides
in Parkinson’s research. “For the last two
years, I get the sense that there has been a
real change, a speeding up of the research
process, with more new drugs in the
pipeline and more insights into the causes of
Parkinson’s.”
Mike’s mother, June, reflects on how MJFF’s
educational resources helped her navigate
changes as Neil’s care partner. She makes an
annual donation on Giving Tuesday, a day
dedicated to giving back each November.
Says Mike, “She never forgot how much
support she received from the Foundation.”
This dedication to advancing a cure also
extends to the next generation. Mike and
Stephanie’s three children see MJFF as part
of their extended family. The youngest of the
family, Justin, serves as Mike’s number-one
cheerleader, dating back to his marathon
run. And when the family held a Sweet 16
That sense of progress motivates the Haverlys
to keep on giving, running, studying and
hoping for a cure. They remain committed in
honor of Neil’s legacy, with their sights set on
a Parkinson’s-free future for every family.
17
Spring/Summer 2018