By Autumn Gray
It was decades ago when Peggy Samaha and Pamela Anderson Verdi met in a business meeting in Chicago. They ended up working on projects together and became fast friends, even vowing to one day retire and move to Santa Fe. Samaha, an employee of Hyatt Hotels, and Verdi, an architect, dreamed of the high desert, outdoor lifestyle, free of corporate responsibilities. The women kept that promise, though the vision didn’t turn out as expected.
“She moved here, and I was her caregiver till the end,” Samaha said of Verdi, who had honored her word despite a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis.
“She lived with it about 10 years,” into her 60s, until it took her in July 2023, she said. “Our friendship lasted over 43 years.”
As a result of Samaha’s experience as a Parkinson’s caregiver, she has become co-leader of the Santa Fe Parkinson’s Disease Action Group, a support group for people impacted by the disease. The group has been conducting an annual fundraising event, the Parkinson’s Moving Day walk, for the last five years. This year, Moving Day is set for May 3 at The Montecito Santa Fe, a resort-style retirement and assisted living community at 500 Rodeo Road.
Samaha said the goal is to raise $40,000 to benefit the Parkinson’s Foundation, whose Southwest chapter serves New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada. (A Moving Day walk is also planned in Albuquerque at 9 a.m. May 17 at North Domingo Baca Park, 7521 Carmel Ave. NE.)
Moving Day proceeds advance Parkinson’s disease research, increase access to quality care, provide education and outreach initiatives to people with Parkinson’s, and raise awareness about the disease. The walk is also intended to honor those diagnosed with Parkinson’s, raise awareness about the disease and embrace the power of exercise. While there is no cure for Parkinson’s, exercise has been proven to help manage Parkinson’s symptoms, along with prescription medication.
Parkinson’s is a neurological disorder typically diagnosed in people 65 and older, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation, a national organization focused on improving care and advancing research toward a cure. However, it can impact people at any age.
The main finding in brains of people with PD is loss of dopaminergic neurons, which regulate movement, in an area of the brain known as the substantia nigra. The first symptoms can be vague and seemingly unrelated, making early diagnosis difficult. They may include sleep problems; loss of sense of smell; smaller handwriting; bowel and/or urinary problems; slight shaking in a finger; tremors or other uncontrollable movements; body stiffness; and depression, anxiety, or fatigue. Symptoms also tend to develop slowly.
“It’s called a designer disease because no two people have it the same. It’s very complex,” Samaha said. “Many of our Parkinson’s people feel like they may have had Parkinson’s many years before the actual diagnosis was given.”
There are about 5,300 New Mexicans living with Parkinson’s among the more than 1 million Americans who have it. That number is expected to rise to 1.2 million in the next five years, according to the Foundation, which also says that PD is the second most diagnosed neurological disease in the world, behind Alzheimer’s.
PD’s cause is also unknown, though genetics and environmental factors are thought to play a role. Environmental risk factors associated with PD include head injury, area of residence, and exposure to pesticides and more, the Foundation says.
Participation in the volunteer-led Santa Fe Moving Day isn’t just about supporting the life-changing work of the Parkinson’s Foundation; it is also about offering hope to everyone affected, whether as a caregiver, friend or someone diagnosed. The event will also offer the community a unique opportunity to connect with others on similar journeys, discover invaluable resources and foster meaningful connections.
About 100 people are expected to attend, whether to join in the one-mile walk around the Montecito parking lot or enjoy demonstrations, exhibits, entertainment and food.
Demonstrations will include boxing and tango, while exhibitors who are members of the Santa Fe Eldercare Network (SFEN) will not only provide information about resources but also offer raffle items. (SFEN is a group of about 40 local professional organizations dedicated to the physical, financial, and emotional well-being of the Santa Fe elder community.) To top off the event, miniature therapy horses from nonprofit My Little Horse Listener will also be attending.
“It will be a morning of movement and gentle walking where everybody’s welcome” – children, dogs, grandparents, the whole family, Samaha said.
To register as an individual for the Santa Fe walk, join a team, or start a team, visit https://movingdaywalk.org/event/moving-day-santa-fe/.
To register as an individual for the Albuquerque walk, join a team, or start a team, visit https://movingdaywalk.org/event/moving-day-albuquerque/.
