Columns

As 2023 comes to an end, we’re just getting started

Bionews CEO Chris Comish often repeats the phrase “We’re just getting started.” He’s said it so many times that it’s become an unofficial motto at the company. But the phrase is more than a well-wish; it’s also a call to action and a reminder to stay the course because…

Sustaining optimism as I look to the future with FA

Actor and activist Michael J. Fox, 62, has been publicly battling Parkinson’s disease since 1998. Although Parkinson’s and my diagnosis of Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) are very different, they are both neurological diseases that affect your ability to function “normally,” cause pain and heartache, and are currently…

Interpreting why dreams, like FA, are part of my life

When life gets overwhelming, my mind will often escape the reality before me, at least momentarily. I’m unsure if these brief internal retreats are daydreams, escapes, or the products of an overactive imagination; maybe all of them. But I’ll refer to this tendency as “dreaming” in this column. To me,…

Can joy and grief coexist? In my life, they do.

Before my Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) symptoms began, I was a healthy young adult with active hobbies, big plans, and an extroverted lifestyle. Now, after more than a decade with FA, I’ve seen so much change and many unexpected lessons. Some obvious physical struggles come along with a progressively…