Ten years ago, Dave Kolbe developed a tremor in his left hand. An avid runner and certified scuba instructor, Kolbe was shocked to learn he had Parkinson’s disease. He lived in denial as his disease progressed, until he caught an episode of 60 Minutes featuring the groundbreaking research at the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI). The show inspired Kolbe so much that he sought treatment at the RNI’s Comprehensive Movement Disorder Center.

Kolbe completed his first half-marathon in his early 40s. Around the same time, he received his scuba certification and became a scuba instructor. He still ran trails and dives, although he retired from teaching. He owns Kolbe Construction Services, and he continues to actively run and dive, even though he no longer teaches. Nothing could slow him down.

Things changed in late 2015, when Kolbe noticed a tremor in his left hand. His family doctor, who thought perhaps Kolbe had essential tremor, referred him to a neurologist, who instead diagnosed him with Parkinson’s disease.

While essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease are both brain diseases that cause tremor, they are different disorders and are often confused with each other.

Essential tremor, the most common movement disorder, is a disease in which patients have shaking in their hands, head, arms, or voice when they are actively using those parts of the body. During essential tremor, there is abnormal signaling in the deep part of the brain that generates the tremor.

A brain affected by Parkinson’s disease, on the other hand, does not make enough dopamine, a chemical messenger that plays a critical role in the body’s movement and cognitive functions. Symptoms typically include slowness of movement, muscle stiffness, balance and dexterity problems, and tremor. According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, nearly one million people in the United States are living with Parkinson’s.

Kolbe’s diagnosis left him stunned. Even worse, he had a negative experience with the neurologist.

“The protocol from the doctor was not caring,” he said. “It was very matter of fact and blunt.” When he shared the news of his diagnosis with his wife, they both broke down into tears.

Feeling out of touch with his provider and uncertain about his future, Kolbe spent a long time in denial, thinking he could beat his disease. However, as time passed, he developed more symptoms, including muscle rigidity on his left side and insomnia.

“It was scary,” Kolbe said. “We didn’t know what to expect. I just didn’t know if there was something better out there.”

One evening while watching TV, Kolbe caught a special two-segment feature about RNI on “60 Minutes.” The episode highlighted Ali Rezai, M.D., RNI executive chair, who discussed cutting-edge treatments for brain diseases and disorders that he and his team were exploring. Kolbe was so intrigued by RNI’s research, he scheduled an appointment.

After in-depth neurological and cognitive testing, Kolbe met with Ann Marie Murray, M.D., division chief of RNI’s Comprehensive Movement Disorder Center. Dr. Murray spent time getting to know Kolbe, learning his medical history, and discussing his treatment expectations.

“There’s no exaggeration – she spent two hours with me,” Kolbe said. “I didn’t realize that amount of care was available.”

“My goal in treatment is to improve your quality of life,” Murray said.

She explained that symptoms caused by Parkinson’s and other movement disorders have an associated stigma that often prevents people from going out in public or being around friends due to embarrassment. Her goal, she explained, is to bring more awareness to the disorders, and to start talking about them so people can get the treatment they need.

“Nobody should accept Parkinson’s as ‘just the way it is,’” she said. “We’re too good at treating it to accept that as a necessary part of anybody’s life.”

Parkinson’s is treated with specific medication that increases dopamine levels in the brain. Exercise, which helps the brain create dopamine naturally, is also beneficial. Depending on the severity of the disease, advanced treatments like focused ultrasound and deep brain stimulation can further improve a patient’s quality of life.

Based on her assessment of Kolbe’s lifestyle, Murray started Kolbe on the medication Sinemet. He immediately noticed a difference in the way he felt.

“I can sit in construction meetings now,” Kolbe said. “I can address company owners with no hesitation at all. Before, I’d be shaking so bad, I’d be embarrassed to try and do it.”

Kolbe has his confidence back and now feels hopeful for whatever lies ahead.

“I have a future,” he said.

And he also has great confidence in his care team at RNI, as he noted that they are “top of the ladder” in research.

“What a great place this is for the treatment of Parkinson’s and movement disorders,” Kolbe said. “You’ll find no better care in the country.”

See the impact RNI’s patient-centered treatment had on Kolbe in a video available here.

For more information on the Comprehensive Movement Disorder Center at the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, visit WVUMedicine.org/Tremor.