When Gary Rogliano received his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis in mid-2018, he found himself in unfamiliar territory. “I’ve never heard of Parkinson’s before that,” he recalled on a recent episode of LSVT Global’s Think BIG and LOUD podcast. “Had no idea where to go, who to talk to, or anything.” What followed wasn’t a retreat into uncertainty — it was the beginning of a movement.
Today, Gary is the founder of Power Over Parkinson’s (POP), a nonprofit based in Richmond, Virginia, that provides free exercise classes, educational seminars, and social programming for individuals living with Parkinson’s disease, their families, and care partners. What started with classes of three or four participants has grown into a community of hundreds, with approximately ten exercise classes per week drawing 25 to 30 attendees each.
Identifying the Gap
Gary’s early experience after diagnosis illuminated a painful reality that many Parkinson’s patients face: the absence of a clear path forward. He described calling his doctor looking for guidance on diet or lifestyle changes and being told simply to take his medication and come back in six months.
Recognizing that doctors, despite their expertise and best intentions, often simply don’t have the time to address the full scope of what a Parkinson’s patient needs, Gary set out to build a “soft place to land”, somewhere newly diagnosed individuals could access everything from exercise guidance to community connection, all at no cost.
A Three-Pronged Approach
POP’s model centers on three pillars: exercise, education, and socialization. Each one was designed in direct response to a gap Gary either experienced himself or observed in others.
On the exercise side, Gary noticed that many existing classes were calibrated to the lowest common denominator, meaning participants with varying abilities ended up in sessions where intensity was too low to be therapeutically effective. POP took a different approach.
POP’s exercise programming was developed in collaboration with physicians, and participants also have full access to gym equipment, including rowing machines, bikes, and TRX systems.
THE POP MODEL AT A GLANCE
→ Approximately 10 exercise classes per week, drawing 25–30 participants each
→ Educational seminars in partnership with VCU’s Parkinson’s & Movement Disorder Center, drawing up to 150 attendees
→ Social events through the Parkinson’s Activity League (PAL), including bowling and axe throwing
→ All programs are completely free of charge
→ Formal research partnership with VCU, supported by a $1 million endowment
The Power of Socialization
One of POP’s most beloved programs is the Parkinson’s Activity League, or PAL, a series of social events designed to get participants moving in a relaxed, stigma-free environment. The flagship event is a bowling outing where the lanes are closed to the general public, creating a safe space for those who may feel self-conscious about tremors or other visible symptoms.
The bowling events have grown to attract up to 50 participants. Gary has also organized axe-throwing outings, activities that might seem surprising for this population, but that’s precisely the point. Beyond the fun, these events have sparked lasting friendships. “There are several of them now, couples that get together later on, have dinner, go out on weekends,” Gary said. “Relationships created outside of POP, which is what the idea was.”
Partnering with VCU
A cornerstone of POP’s credibility and reach is its formal partnership with the Parkinson’s and Movement Disorder Center at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Gary and POP endowed a research chair at VCU with a $1 million contribution, creating what he describes as POP’s “research arm.” The partnership provides access to leading specialists who present at POP’s educational seminars, and gives POP the ability to reach VCU’s patient database of roughly 3,000 people in the Richmond area.
Gary also highlighted the unique advantages of being an independent nonprofit working alongside a major academic medical center. “We’re not part of a state-owned university hospital,” he explained. “We’re independent, so we can move things a lot faster.”
Activity as Medicine
Gary has spoken publicly about a philosophy that shapes both POP’s programming and his personal approach to living with Parkinson’s: that physical activity must be treated with the same discipline and regularity as medication. He exercises two to two and a half hours daily, attends roughly 75% of POP’s own classes, and greets every participant by name.
His presence at classes isn’t just motivational, it’s intentional. “It’s not me trying to brag,” he said. “It’s me trying to give them something they need.”
Advice for the Newly Diagnosed
For those who have just received a Parkinson’s diagnosis, Gary’s message is direct and hopeful. While he naturally encourages anyone in the Richmond area to connect with POP, his core advice applies universally:
For those in areas without a POP equivalent, he encourages people to piece together their own support network — a yoga group, a care partner circle, any form of consistent, active community.
Looking Ahead
POP continues to grow its footprint in Central Virginia, with plans to expand exercise programming westward toward Charlottesville. Gary’s longer-term vision is a national network of POP locations, though he acknowledges it will take time. More immediately, he’s focused on reaching the estimated 2,500 people in Richmond living with Parkinson’s who haven’t yet connected with POP.
He also points to a sobering reality driving that urgency: Parkinson’s is one of the fastest-growing neurological diseases, and the country faces a significant shortage of neurologists. For Gary, that makes community-based support not just helpful, but essential.
When asked how his perspective on life has shifted since his diagnosis, Gary’s answer was characteristically grounded. On the day he found out, he told his mother and daughter: “I’m the lucky one.”
This post is based on Gary Rogliano’s appearance on the Think BIG and LOUD Podcast from LSVT Global. Listen to the full podcast episode.
Learn more about Power Over Parkinson’s. All programs at Power Over Parkinson’s are completely free of charge. “What do you got to lose? Come in for a day” – Gary.
To find an LSVT certified therapist in your area, visit lsvtglobal.com.
AI (Claude) assisted in the translation of this content from a podcast to a blog, edited by humans of course.