After 17 years of serving his country, Mark Kelm is now giving a different type of service: he’s advocating for others who, like him, are living with Parkinson’s disease. Kelm, who lives in a small Minnesota with his wife and three children, was only 38 years old when he was diagnosed with PD, a nervous system disorder that causes stiffness, tremors, loss of balance, and other movement issues. He credits his military background for preparing him for his latest challenge.
He told Fox News Digital in an interview, “I believe the times that I had in the military really prepared me to handle living with a disease like Parkinson’s — knowing how to adapt and overcome in any given circumstance. And I think those life skills that I learned in the Army are still quite useful today.” Raised by a police deputy and a nurse, Kelm said that for as long as he can remember, his life has been geared toward service. Since enlisting in the Army Reserves in 1989, Kelp has served many years of active duty, spent time in the National Guard and held a role as a military chaplain. In 2006, Kelm transitioned to a role as a chaplain for a federal law enforcement agency.
Two years later, at just 38, he was alarmed when he started experiencing involuntary twitching. “One muscle in my arm kept twitching, and it was causing my finger to twitch as well, and it just wouldn’t stop,” he recalled. That began Kelm’s journey toward a diagnosis of young-onset Parkinson’s, which he received at the Mayo Clinic’s neurology department in Minnesota. He said, “That was a pretty dark day — knowing that it’s a progressive, degenerative neurological disorder that currently does not have a cure or any disease-modifying drugs.” He continued, “After having my own little pity party after my diagnosis, I realized that wasn’t really helpful.”
Kelm’s older daughter, who was in high school at the time, immediately started researching his disease. She soon became involved with fundraising and awareness efforts through the Parkinson’s Foundation. He was so impressed by his daughter’s efforts that he decided it was time to “get off the bench and get back into the game.” Kelm has since “jumped in with both feet.” He became the national chair of the Parkinson’s Foundation People with Parkinson’s Council, which ensures that the perspective of people living with PD is integrated into the foundation’s program development. In 2020, Kelm helped create an annual Parkinson’s Awareness Day at Target Field in partnership with the Minnesota Twins.
He has also organized events to raise funds for the Minneapolis-based Struthers Parkinson’s Center and volunteers on the U.S. Department of Defense’s medical research programs for Parkinson’s. “My service is connected to Parkinson’s now,” Kelm told Fox News Digital. “It has been an absolute blessing because it’s allowed me to meet people from all around this great nation and even the world,” he went on. “It’s been very positive for me, and I’m very hopeful that there’s a lot of research being done right now.”
Kelm’s advocacy could also indirectly benefit his health, according to Dr. James Beck, PhD, chief scientific officer for the Parkinson’s Foundation in New York City.