Professor Nir Giladi (OBM) – My personal tribute

I quietly attended his funeral yesterday in the north of Israel. It was clear from the mood, emotion, and eulogies how much of an impact he made as a doctor, teacher, researcher, friend, mentsch, husband, parent, and grandparent. He will be enormously missed by so many.

To me, his impact was spread over the last five years or so, during which he was deeply involved in my treatment as one of the two incredible neurologists who have guided me. From the first day I met him, despite the hundreds or thousands of people he saw and the enormous responsibility he carried as head of neurology at one of the biggest hospitals, he was constantly present and immediate in his responses.

I had a strange diagnosis, completely atypical, with a very rapid onset and a number of irregularities, including suspected cases of autoimmune encephalitis and, at one point, a potential diagnosis of something far worse than Parkinson’s called PSP. But at each juncture, he was there for me with fantastic advice and immediate responses, organizing MRIs, consultations, and treatments. In fact, after my first visit to him in the early evening, he urgently called me late that night and started an immediate protocol of steroids.

Although I only met him for short consultations and many email conversations, he nevertheless had a profound impact on me. One thing in particular stuck with me: he told me, “Make Parkinson’s part of your life, not your life,” and that has been my strategy ever since. He counseled me to stay positive, engage in lots of exercise, and keep working to keep the brain busy. My family and I are so grateful.

A couple of years ago, I was asked by a charity in Jerusalem (Tikva for Parkinson’s) to speak at their conference in Tiberias about my patient experience and staying positive. Professor Giladi was the main speaker, and it was incredible to see the way the attendees responded to him—the line to speak to him after his talk was so long.

I wrote about him earlier this week on my blog, hoping for a better outcome before the news of his passing. Sadly, he passed away in the same hospital where he had worked for so many years.

There are so many people who knew him much better than I did, but as a patient, I feel it is important to show my gratitude, as well as the gratitude of many others. I am reminded of how much one person can make a difference to so many people and how many people are involved in the lives of Parkinson’s patients and those with other complex illnesses—the army of specialists, nurses, healthcare professionals, therapists, trainers, and an endless list of brilliant people dedicated to doing good for others. All of them have my thanks!

I hope the enormous contribution he made to the lives of so many, including me, serves as a comfort to his family. May his memory be blessed.