We need everyone's voice in the fight for a Parkinson's cure.

As I advocate in memory of my mother, Sharon, who lost her battle with Parkinson's, I've faced unexpected challenges. The fight for awareness and a cure has not always been inclusive, especially for those of us who have lost loved ones to the disease. But our voices still matter and are still powerful in this fight.

While we cannot bring back our loved ones, we can unite with those currently battling Parkinson's and their caregivers to push for a cure. We must persist, even in the face of negativity, in honor of those we've lost. It's time to bring awareness to the voices that have been shut out of this conversation and use our loved ones' memories to support others and advocate for a cure.

An Empty Seat at the Table is a behind-the-scenes look at the obstacles faced in my journey and a call for those left behind to continue to use their voices to fight this disease in the name of those lost to PD so they will never be forgotten. It is also a compilation of interviews in memory of loved ones lost to PD and artwork by Parkinson's artists as a way to visualize the struggles of the loss of our loved ones and the difficulty that we sometimes face advocating in their memory.