More Than a Game: How Pickleball Is Changing Lives for People Living with Parkinson's

Through Pickleball for Parkinson's, Terence Degnan is helping people rediscover movement, community, confidence, and joy—one game at a time.

When Terence Degnan was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, he left his neurologist's office feeling like he had just received a life sentence.

“My doctor told me three things. Tell your wife. Get a therapist. And you seem fatalistic right now.”

The word stuck with him. Not suicidal. Fatalistic. Like the future had suddenly narrowed.

Six months later, that same doctor hardly recognized him.

“He said, ‘What did you do?’” Terence remembers.

Terence had one answer: Pickleball.

Today, that answer has grown into Pickleball for Parkinson's, a nonprofit organization helping people living with Parkinson's rediscover movement, community, confidence, and joy through the sport of pickleball.

The Power of a Pickleball Court

For many people unfamiliar with Parkinson's disease, the condition is often associated with tremors. But according to Terence, that's only the visible tip of the iceberg.

“People think Parkinson's is shaking—it's so much more than that.”

One of the most challenging symptoms is apathy—a lack of motivation caused by the brain's reduced ability to produce and utilize dopamine. That's where pickleball enters the story.

Anyone who has played pickleball knows the feeling of hitting the perfect shot. The clean dink. The winning drive. The impossible reset. That feeling creates a dopamine reward. For someone living with Parkinson's, those moments aren't just fun—they can be transformative.

“It’s hard to be apathetic when you're having fun on a pickleball court.”

The sport combines physical movement, hand-eye coordination, strategy, social connection, and constant moments of achievement. Together, they create an environment that helps participants feel engaged, energized, and capable.

The Long Walk from the Couch

The stories emerging from Pickleball for Parkinson's are powerful. Terence remembers one participant whose wife said he had spent nearly three years on the couch after his diagnosis.

“He came to Pickleball for Parkinson's one time,” Terence says. “And then he just kept coming.”

Eventually, the change became so significant that the participant and his wife organized a fundraising gala to support the organization.

For Terence, those moments never get old.

“I've watched that epiphany happen a hundred times.”

Building Something Bigger Than One Person

What started as a small group of players in New York City has evolved into a rapidly growing nonprofit serving people across multiple locations.

Today, Pickleball for Parkinson's operates programs throughout New York City, with additional expansion underway in Cape Cod, Miami, Washington, D.C., Costa Rica, and beyond.

“I realized early on that this had to be bigger than me. At some point, I won't be able to coach. So we're building an organization that can continue helping people long after I'm gone.”

Why Dedicated Programs Matter

One question Terence hears frequently is simple: Why not just play at public courts?

Many people living with Parkinson's struggle to find welcoming environments where they can play comfortably and consistently.

“What P4P provides is two hours that are specifically there for them.”

Players stretch together. They learn skills together. They play together. No judgment. No pressure. No feeling like they're slowing anyone down. Just people enjoying the game while supporting one another.

A Partnership Built Around Giving Back

As Pickleball for Parkinson's continues to expand, it has attracted support from organizations that share its belief that pickleball can be a force for good. One of those partners is Friday Pickleball, whose community-first approach immediately resonated with Terence.

“Friday believes in the culture of pickleball. They believe in what this sport can do for people.”

To support the nonprofit's mission, Friday Pickleball created a custom Pickleball for Parkinson's paddle, helping raise awareness and funding for future programs.

Support Pickleball for Parkinson's

Friday Aura Pro Metallic Pickleball Paddle

Purchase the custom paddle and help fund coaching, facility access, equipment, and expansion for Pickleball for Parkinson's.

$25 from every paddle purchased is donated to Pickleball for Parkinson's.

Shop the Paddle

Those funds help support coaching, facility access, equipment, expansion into new communities, and the countless behind-the-scenes efforts required to sustain a growing nonprofit.

Looking Ahead

Ask Terence about the future, and his answer is simple. He wants Pickleball for Parkinson's everywhere.

“The goal is to go anywhere in the world where people have Parkinson's and show them what pickleball can do.”

It's an ambitious vision. But then again, so was the idea that a wiffle ball and a paddle could help someone reclaim their life after a Parkinson's diagnosis.

One player at a time. One game at a time. One community at a time.