He stays positive by hiking, starting a business

Rob Cleminson
Oregon

Year of diagnosis: 2016

Exercise of choice: I work out at the gym, do a pilates class each week, and love walking and hiking with my dogs.

Favorite outdoor exercise: hiking

Favorite place to hike: My favorite place near home is in the Columbia River Gorge. I also have climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, and recently I took a road trip that included hikes in Yosemite National Park and other parks in Utah.

Toughest hike and why: My toughest was Mount Kilimanjaro due to the altitude and PD symptoms. 

Most proud of related to outdoors: I’m most proud of my Kilimanjaro climb and the fact that I somehow manage to keep hiking after living with PD for 10 years.

Outdoor or exercise gear that is a must: It would simply be my hiking boots!

Advice for someone recently diagnosed who wants to stay active: My advice is to keep moving and never give in, even if it’s getting up and out of your armchair and walking around the house or garden — anything to keep yourself moving.

How I try to stay positive: Keeping positive is a challenge for all of us with PD, but I try not to get too discouraged by the things I can’t do and just keep trying.

Other interests/hobbies: I used to love skiing but haven’t done much of that for a few years now.

Career field: My career was in technology sales, but I recently was laid off and decided to start a business called UNSHAKEABLE, which sells clothing that supports the PD community.

Two men stand before a mountain scene.
Rob, left, and his cousin, Andrew, enjoy hiking together.
A man and his grown daughter sit under a sign at the top of Kilimanjaro.
Almost a decade after his diagnosis, Rob and daughter Bethan climbed Kilimanjaro.

If you have Parkinson’s disease and the outdoors and exercise are part of your life, share your story in Unshakable Voices. Email unshakablehiker@gmail.com for details.