Larry Gifford

Cofounder, President, PD Avengers

President, Co-Founder PD Avengers

Council Member, Michael J. Fox Foundation Patient Council

Editorial Board, Journal of Parkinson’s Disease

Founding member of the PD Performance Improv Troupe

Committee co-lead, Cures Collective

Keynote Speaker and Panelist

Larry Gifford, 54, is a seasoned storyteller and radio professional who was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson's Disease in August 2017. He underwent Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in 2023.

In 2018, he launched his podcast, "When Life Gives You Parkinson's," as he couldn't find a patient perspective podcast that resonated with him. His vast experience in the radio industry and his innate storytelling abilities made him realize that his search for the perfect podcast was a sign to create his own.

In 2020, Larry was inspired by the book "Ending Parkinson's Disease" and organized a series of Zoom calls to discuss the book's concepts with others during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. This led to the formation of The PD Avengers, a global coalition that is focused on taking action to end Parkinson's Disease. Larry, along with Soania and Tim, incorporated the "Global Coalition to End Parkinson's Disease Association" with the dba "PD Avengers" in the Fall of 2020.

Through his podcast and his work with The PD Avengers, Larry is dedicated to sharing his experience with Parkinson's Disease, raising awareness about the disease, and advocating for research and solutions that will help end Parkinson's Disease.