My parkinson’s journey
In 2019, Chris McLernon was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Since then, he's done everything he can to help others living with it — and the best way he knows how is by being himself. That self is stubbornly, defiantly upbeat.
His doctors have been a big part of that. Honest about what treatment is and isn't, they've been equally relentless in their support. A positive attitude is contagious, and Chris caught his from them. The moment that crystallized everything came when one of his doctors asked a simple question: What do you want out of this? Chris told him he wanted to lift heavy and play music. The doctor smiled and said, "That's all? Seems pretty easy." Chris said good — because those two things are everything to him.
For Parkinson's patients whose symptoms have moved beyond what medication alone can manage, there's an advanced option called deep-brain stimulation, or DBS. In the procedure, a small device is implanted that delivers gentle electrical signals to specific areas of the brain responsible for movement. Think of it like a pacemaker — but for the brain. It doesn't cure Parkinson's, but for many patients it significantly reduces tremors, stiffness, and the other physical symptoms that make daily life so difficult.
For Chris, it gave him back his guitar.
Parkinson's had quietly stolen his ability to play the rock music that defined him. Working with the Movement Disorders team at MUSC Health, he made the decision to pursue DBS surgery. Shortly after the procedure, he brought his guitar into the office and played a song he hadn't been able to touch since his diagnosis.
"I brought it in and ripped it right out. I could not believe it," he said. "The fact that I can play easily, smoothly and professionally is worth everything to me."
He still brings his instrument to appointments. The team fine-tunes his stimulator while he plays, adjusting in real time until it feels exactly right. And stepping back onto a stage in front of an audience has meant as much as any treatment. It's not just playing music again — it's being himself again.
Today, Chris continues to channel that same energy beyond the stage. He has partnered with the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research and remains an active advocate for the Parkinson's community — living proof that with the right care, the right attitude, and a little rock and roll, life doesn't stop at a diagnosis. It just plays on.
I’ve partnered with the michael j fox foundation
Until I can’t, the plan is to keep recording, doing shows, and writing. In the meantime, if you’d like to donate to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, hit the QR code and have at it. I thank you in advance!
