Basketball helps OAG employee battle Parkinson’s disease

The Parkinson’s Foundation — a national organization devoted to improving care and advancing research toward a cure for Parkinson’s disease — recently took notice of a social media post by an OAG employee living with the disease.

The organization retweeted a video of Senior Writer Bill McCleery (Communications) dunking a basketball.

McCleery tweeted: “The best thing for Parkinson’s disease is exercise, & basketball is my workout of choice (including on 8-ft rims). 😂🏀”

The Parkinson’s Foundation shared the post with its nearly 110,000 followers. More than 1,500 people have viewed the video on Twitter.

“It didn’t exactly go viral,” McCleery said. “But it was pretty cool they retweeted it. Of course, I tagged them, so I suppose I was shamelessly soliciting them to take notice.”

McCleery plays 4-on-4 halfcourt basketball most Friday and Sunday nights.

“When I’m on the basketball court, I barely notice any symptoms,” he said. “Exercise is so beneficial. Conversely, the worst thing for Parkinson’s, in my experience, is spending long periods sitting at a desk or otherwise being sedentary.”

McCleery, 51, first went to a neurologist in 2020 with cramping left toes and a stiff left arm and shoulder. The diagnosis came months later.

His symptoms now include anxiety; fatigue; muscle rigidity; dystonia, a disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions; and mild dyskinesia, another form of involuntary movement.

At this point, McCleery manages his symptoms relatively effectively with medication and regular exercise such as basketball, biking, walking, and occasional weights.

The incurable degenerative brain disease typically worsens over time, but some people remain active and mobile for decades. Regular vigorous exercise is the only thing shown to possibly delay disease progression.

“I am so extremely grateful for the ways the OAG has accommodated my efforts to live well with this disease,” McCleery said. “From Attorney General Rokita on down, everyone has always been super accommodating, supportive, and understanding. You couldn’t ask for a more caring team.”

View the video tweet here:  https://bit.ly/3Unh83h