EDGEWATER — A desire to help those with Parkinson’s disease in Volusia County led New Smyrna Beach resident Marianne Chapin to start In This Corner Inc. in January 2018.
The Edgewater nonprofit is an affiliate of the national Rock Steady Boxing program that began in Indianapolis in 2006. It provides physical therapy in the form of specialized boxing sessions.
“All the things that a boxer needs to be a good boxer: the hand-eye coordination, the ability to pivot and keep your balance while moving, the strength — all of those things are instrumental in helping somebody with Parkinson’s fight back,” said Chapin, a former hospice worker.
“Parkinson’s is a movement disorder. What one should do if they are diagnosed with it is to instantly increase their movement. It’s truly a case where if you don’t use it you lose it,” said Chapin. “We’re never going to cure you from your Parkinson’s, but we can try to help you keep your quality of life for as long as possible.”
Thanks to encouragement and a donation from Susan Miller, then-owner of the local Home Instead senior care agency, Chapin turned In This Corner from a “side gig” into a full-fledged 501(c)3 nonprofit. Lowe’s Home Improvement Center later provided a donation to add outdoor workout facilities at its Edgewater gym.
In This Corner has grown over the years
In This Corner has grown from initially helping three “boxers” to over 500 today. It holds sessions regularly at 201 S. Ridgewood Ave., Suite 13, in Edgewater as well as at the Florida Health Care Plans activity center at the Pictona pickleball complex at 1060 Ridgewood Ave. in Holly Hill.
In This Corner has expanded to become a wellness center for a wide range of neurological disorders. Its services include programs for teens and young adults with Down Syndrome and autism, and an all-ages program called Drums Alive.
Meet In This Corner’s new executive director
After nearly 7½ years running In This Corner, Chapin is retiring. She recently turned over executive director duties to Victoria Hill, an occupational therapist who became a volunteer coach two years ago.
“The first (In This Corner) class I witnessed, it was eye-opening for me,” said Hill of what can be done to improve patients’ lives, despite their diagnoses.
The volunteer coaches include Lynette Worrell and Dr. Kelsey Pilati-Willis (owner of Sage Chiropractic in Ormond Beach). In This Corner also has a volunteer board of directors.
Chapin and her husband Billy, a local musician, look forward to traveling and spending more time with their grandkids, but she intends to stay involved with In This Corner as an on-call volunteer. “This is my baby,” she said. “Every part of me wants to see this continue strong. It’s going to be bigger, better and stronger.”
How you can help In This Corner
In This Corner accepts donations to provide scholarships to those who can’t afford its fees. It’s also on the lookout for volunteers. For details including upcoming fundraisers, visit its website at InThisCorner.org
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Edgewater nonprofit helps those with Parkinson’s disease ‘fight back’ for a better life
Reporting by Clayton Park, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
