Hi, I'm Taylor :)

Hi, welcome! My name is Taylor Mann. When I was very young, my grandpa was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. To me, it seemed like such a minor inconvenience – it was not until much later that we realized the impact of neurodegeneration and how it began to affect his daily life.

 

When I got my first phone, he called me. Similarly to all my family, he was eager to use my new number. We talked for a while and he explained to me through the phone, how his speech might be difficult to understand, as it was already beginning to be more difficult for him to enunciate his words. This was the first time I really understood that Parkinson’s was real, and actually affecting him.

 

As time progressed, his situation worsened. He was diagnosed with PSP, a much less common neurodegenerative disease. That’s when things took a turn, slowly, at first, then more abruptly. I practically blinked and suddenly he was in a wheelchair struggling to swallow food.

 

In late November of 2020, my Poppy passed away.

 

We found out that not only did he have Parkinson’s and PSP, but also Lewy Bodies and developing Alzheimer’s.

 

Losing him was the hardest experience of my life, something I am still getting through today.

 

After a lot of reflection, I realized I could use the experiences and knowledge I gained to help others. I developed a passion for better understanding neurodegenerative diseases so that I could help others who are managing the mental and social-emotional aspects that go along with of them.

 

NeuroResilience was created to remember, honor, teach, and build community for the many who are impacted, and trying to better understand how advancements in research are offering hope. It’s exactly what my grandpa would have wanted.