Ann Marie Colapietro’s Journey with Parkinson’s: A Story of Resilience

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Slide text: Wednesdays with Woodward (registered trademark) Webinar Series. The slide appears on a laptop screen next to a red mug with the Travelers umbrella logo in white. Joan Woodward appears on a labeled video call tile in the upper right. Text: Travelers Institute (registered trademark), Travelers. 15 Years.

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JOAN WOODWARD: Hi there, everyone. Thanks so much for joining. I'm Joan Woodward, President of the Travelers Institute. Welcome to our webinar series. Thanks for coming back.

Before we get started today, as always, we're going to share our disclaimer about today's program.

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Slide text: About Travelers Institute (registered trademark) Webinars. The Wednesdays with Woodward (registered trademark) educational webinar series is presented by the Travelers Institute, the public policy division of Travelers. This program is offered for informational and educational purposes only. You should consult with your financial, legal, insurance or other advisors about any practices suggested by this program. Please note that this session is being recorded and may be used as Travelers deems appropriate.

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I'd also like to thank our terrific webinar partners today, the Master's in FinTech Program at UConn, the MetroHartford Alliance, the National African American Insurance Association, and the Big “I.” And with that, let's get started.

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Slide text: Wednesdays with Woodward (registered trademark) Webinar Series. Ann Marie Colapietro's Journey with Parkinson's: A Story of Resilience. Logos: Travelers Institute (registered trademark). Master's in Financial Technology (FinTech) Program at the University of Connecticut School of Business. MetroHartford Alliance. National African American Insurance Association (N.A.A.I.A.). Big I (Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America). The next slide says, Speakers, above the three speakers' head shots and titles. Text: Joan Woodward, Executive Vice President, Public Policy; President, Travelers Institute Travelers. Joan wears a white outfit and dangling earrings in her photo. Text: Ann Marie Colapietro, Vice President, Enterprise Distribution and Agency Experience, Travelers. Ann Marie wears a dark blazer and pearls in her photo. Text: J. Antonelle de Marcaida, M.D., Medical Director, Hartford HealthCare Chase Family Movement Disorders Center. Dr. de Marcaida wears a white top with a pin on the lapel in her photo.

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Today, we're talking about living with a chronic disease and Parkinson's. If you tuned in today, it might be because you or someone in your life is navigating a difficult health situation like Parkinson's or others. These can be very difficult to handle, whether you're the one with the disease or the one caring for someone with a disease.

Parkinson's is a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement, balance and other bodily functions. According to the Parkinson's Foundation, nearly 1 million people in the United States and 10 million worldwide are living with the illness. About 90,000 people in the United States are diagnosed each year, and the number is growing.

Our guest speaker today, Ann Marie Colapietro, was diagnosed with Parkinson's eight years ago in 2017 and at the height of her career. Ann Marie is part of the P&C industry for 35 years and part of the Travelers family for over 21 years. So to say she's an integral part of our family, as well as the industry, really is an understatement.

We are all Team Ann Marie here at Travelers. Some of you even sent messages of support and love to Ann Marie when you registered for this webinar. So we love that. Thank you so much.

Today, she serves as Vice President for Enterprise Distribution & Agency Experience. She's responsible for financial analytics, internal and external operational deliverables. She also coordinates our relationship with industry associations, and she's a key leader in major conferences that I get to attend, luckily, such as the Travelers Leadership Conference, or TLC, and, of course, the upcoming amazing Travelers Golf Championship.

She joins us today, and she's going to share her story with us and how today she's living with Parkinson's and balancing a very busy life and career. Thank you, Ann Marie, my friend, for coming on our show.

For the medical perspective on the disease, we're joined today by Dr. Antonelle de Marcaida, the Medical Director for Hartford Healthcare's Chase Family Movement Disorder Center. Under her leadership, Hartford Healthcare's Movement Disorders program was designated as a Comprehensive Care Center by the Parkinson's Foundation's global care network, one of the first in the nation and the only one in the Northeast to date.

She completed her fellowship in the experimental therapeutics and movement disorders at the University of Rochester and her neurology residency at the University of Connecticut, where she was selected as chief resident during both her third and fourth years of training.

She was named one of Hartford's Top 30 Women of Distinction in 2019 for her service to patients with Parkinson disease and other movement disorders and her role in developing the Movement Disorders program at Hartford HealthCare. Dr. de Marcaida is not Ann Marie's doctor, but they have a special bond that we'll get into later in the program.

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So, welcome to you both. We're honored to have you to talk about this disease. And grateful, of course, to Ann Marie for sharing her personal story. So, Ann Marie, let's start with you. You were diagnosed in 2017. So what led you up to this diagnosis, and how did you find out that you had Parkinson's?

ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: First, Joan, thank you for your kind words. And thank you for having me and Dr. de Marcaida here to talk about my story and about Parkinson's disease and living with it.

So you're right. In April 2017, I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. And what originally led me to the doctor was a shoulder injury from working out. I had shoulder pain. I had some limited mobility. And I started to have a little shake in my right hand, a shaky feeling. And I didn't think anything of it other than I had injured my shoulder, and so I needed to get to the doctor. And that was really what led me down the path of seeing a series of doctors that ultimately led to my diagnosis.

JOAN WOODWARD: OK. So before we go much further into Ann Marie's story, I want to step back here and bring in Dr. de Marcaida into the discussions to tell us more about the medical perspective. So, most of us probably know only just a little bit about Parkinson's. What exactly is the disease, and do we know what causes it?

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Slide text: What is Parkinson disease? Chronic progressive neurodegenerative disorder. Characterized by loss of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra, and Lewy body accumulation. Prevalence: 1 million Americans/10 million global. Annual incidence US: Approximately 90,000 ( about 1 every 6 minutes.) Most commonly seen in older individuals. Prevalence of 2% over 65 years old, 2.6% at over 80 years old, 5 to 10% with onset under 40 years old. Generally sporadic, few hereditary. 15 to 20% report positive family history. Several genetic loci now identified, 1 to 2% familial. Causation: combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors. One figure on the slide says, Pathological hallmark of PD is nigrostriatal degeneration, occurring primarily in the substantia nigra pars compacta (S.N.p.c.) and striatum. One image in the figure shows two versions of a structure of the brain, one labeled Normal and one labeled Patient with PD. The structure is roughly symmetrical, fanning out into two wings on the lower side. In the normal version, a thick dark stripe crosses each cream-colored wing. In the Parkinson's patient, the stripes are much less pronounced. Text: Significant nigral dopaminergic neuronal loss is marked by a reduction in neuromelanin pigment in the S.N.p.c., Another image on the figure is labeled Lewy Body, showing a red, 3-dimensional mass against an off-white background. Text: Intraneuronal cytoplasmic inclusions, or "Lewy Bodies." Images reprinted with permission from Olanow CW, Stern MB, Sethi K. The scientific and clinical basis for the treatment of Parkinson disease (2009). Neurology. 2009;72(21 suppl 4): S1-S136. Another figure says, Cardinal signs of PD, with an acronym that spells TRAP, which stands for Tremor, Rigidity, A-/Brady-kinesia, Postural instability. The last figure is an illustration of a gray-haired man with a shuffling gait and hunched posture. Labels around the man’s body say, Stooped posture, Masked Face, Back rigidity, Forward tilt of trunk, Reduced arm swing, Flexed elbows and wrists, Hand tremor, Tremors in the legs, Slightly flexed hip and knees, Shuffling, short stepped gait. Text: Image modified from Stanford Medicine 25 and APDA Website. Logo: Hartford HealthCare. David and Rhoda Chase Family Movement Disorders Center. Text: 5/7/2025.

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J. ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA: Parkinson's disease, as Ann Marie was starting to describe, is a condition that is characterized by slowness of movement-- so that's the key feature-- bradykinesia, and then the rest tremor as well, which can be in the hands, can be in the legs or the jaw; loss of balance and gait changes-- so shuffling of gait, a little bit of stooping of the posture and rigidity of the muscles.

So what that means for people is they might notice that when they're walking, they're not swinging one arm as much. Ann Marie actually picked up on an early symptom of Parkinson's that is not always recognized, which is one-sided shoulder pain. A lot of physicians are saying that that could actually be one of the most common initial symptoms of Parkinson's disease. But there's also loss of facial expression, loss of voice volume, handwriting gets smaller.

And what happens, Joan, is that there is loss of very specific brain cells in a part of the brain called the substantia nigra, which is the main producer of a neurochemical called dopamine. Dopamine is crucial for movement. So if you don't have enough of these brain cells that produce dopamine, then there is impairment of movement.

As regards the cause, for a lot of things these days, we recognize that it's really a combination of factors. We believe that for Parkinson's disease, it's a genetic predisposition. Doesn't mean that it's hereditary, by the way. It's just the DNA makeup that you were born with, plus environmental exposure. So if you have a combination of these factors of a genetic predisposition and exposure to chemicals that have been known to cause Parkinsonism, then you might manifest with Parkinson's disease.

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Slide text: Environmental Toxins Linked to Parkinson Disease. TCE/PCE: In Camp Lejeune (N. Carolina) found in its drinking water 280 times higher than safety standards, risk of PD 70% higher. Pesticides: rotenone, paraquat, organochlorines, organophosphates, pyrethroids, agent orange, PD risk for farmers 170% greater than non-farmers. Heavy metals: iron, zinc, manganese, arsenic. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB): industrial toxin from 1930s to 1970s, but persists in marine meat. A figure on the slide says, Trichloroethylene Exposure, and illustrates a city with skyscrapers on the left, then a neighborhood in the middle, and factory buildings on the right. Below the homes and buildings sits a layer of soil above a layer of water. The diagram shows the chemical spouting into the air from the factory buildings in a section labeled, On site air release. The chemical also leaches from the factories into the soil in a section labeled, Soil contamination, and leaches further into the water in a section labeled, Groundwater plume. An arrow pointing up from the water into the neighborhood reads, Water contamination. Other arrows wiggle up from the ground toward the skyscrapers in a section labeled, Vapor intrusion. Text: Fig. 4. Possible modes of exposure to trichloroethylene in the environment. Image Credit: J Parkinsons Dis. 2023 Mar 14:13(2):203-218. Logo: Hartford HealthCare. David and Rhoda Chase Family Movement Disorders Center.

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JOAN WOODWARD: OK, thanks for that. So that's the causes. So what is the greatest risk factor for Parkinson's?

J. ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA: So if we really think about it, the greatest risk factor is age. At 65 years, it is estimated that 2% of people will develop Parkinson's disease. At 80, that's almost 3% of people will develop Parkinson's disease.

So if you have a room full of 100 people who are 65 and older, two of them will have Parkinson's disease. And as the population ages, we are seeing more and more people who are developing these neurodegenerative disorders.

JOAN WOODWARD: So why are these numbers getting so large. Why is there so much growth in Parkinson's now in the U.S.?

J. ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA: Yes. It is estimated that every six minutes another American is going to be diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. We are living at a time, Joan, that has been referred to as a Parkinson's pandemic.

And the easy answer has always been that people are living longer. And, therefore, as we age, these conditions become more common. But there are many researchers now who are saying that this Parkinson's pandemic is-- the number of people who are developing Parkinson's disease is rising much more rapidly than the number of people who are getting older. And we believe it's environmental toxins.

We are exposed to so many toxins in our environment that we're not even aware of. TCE was recently implicated as a cause of Parkinson's disease. And I don't know if any of you have heard of Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, a Marine base. And they found that the water there had 280 times higher level of TCE than was healthy, than was safe. And indeed, a lot of the residents of Camp Lejeune develop Parkinson's disease and other conditions.

Pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, some heavy metals-- manganese, arsenic, iron, zinc-- all of these have been implicated in causing Parkinson's. And it's in our environment, and it never goes away.

A lot of these toxins from the '70s still exist in our water. A lot of houses still have lead paint if they haven't been redone, and they are all neurodegenerative, meaning brain cell-destroying. So that is the time that we live in. And we need to advocate for the Environmental Protection Agency to get rid of these toxins, to ban this pesticides, so we are not continually exposed.

JOAN WOODWARD: Well, thank you so much for all of that. It's incredibly interesting. And I think not a lot of people realize what you just went through. So, thank you.

Ann Marie, back to you. I want to talk about early symptoms and flags that you picked up on so quickly a lot of us maybe would have ignored. So what were your early symptoms, and what made you think you might have a health issue?

ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: Yeah. So, as I said, I had this shoulder injury, and I thought something was going on. What really triggered me was when I was walking, I would feel my hand fluttering, like if you're walking in water, and you can feel your hand fluttering in the water. So that was a little bit concerning to me. I thought, what's this about?

And then I started to develop the tremor in my right hand. So it started with my pinky and then expanded to my right hand and my right upper arm. And it wasn't happening all the time. So I really didn't think I had a serious problem. I attributed it to the shoulder. I attributed it to I had an extra cup of coffee this morning. You tell yourself whatever you need to to believe that it's not something more serious.

One of the things that I didn't know then that I do know now is that there are nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson's disease that I had probably been experiencing for a number of years, like GI issues, which I thought, well, you have a gluten sensitivity, so that's causing that, or trouble sleeping, which I'm just a bad sleeper, or trouble regulating my body temperature, which I attributed to menopause.

So none of these, in and of themselves, told me, you have Parkinson's disease. But with the tremor, and once the diagnosis was made, I put it all together. And I went, oh my gosh. I probably have been experiencing some symptoms for longer than I thought I had been.

JOAN WOODWARD: Wow, OK. I have some of those things. So, Doctor, how is this actually diagnosed? Is there a blood test? Is it watching it? Is it-- how is it diagnosed officially?

J. ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA: So for decades, we were saying that Parkinson's disease is a clinical diagnosis. What that means is we have to base our diagnosis on the story, just like Ann Marie shared, the symptoms that she's expressing. And then we do a neurologic examination to verify that these symptoms are related to what we know is associated with Parkinson's disease.

But there have been so many breakthroughs in medicine, and we are happy to say that now we actually do have diagnostic testing. I used to have to say for years, Joan, there is no test for Parkinson's disease.

Now there's imaging studies called the DaTscan that we can do. There's also a skin biopsy that will demonstrate the abnormal proteins that are characteristic of Parkinson's disease, which is alpha-synuclein. So these are incredible times, and we are happy and grateful that we have these medical breakthroughs.

JOAN WOODWARD: Wow, OK. So Ann Marie, what should people be aware of and not write off as a normal sign of aging, for example?

ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: Yeah. It's hard to say specifically what people should be aware of because everyone is different. And, as I've learned, Parkinson's disease can present differently in every person.

As I said, the nonmotor symptoms that I was experiencing could have been anything, but when the tremor started, it's when I really became concerned. We, also, my family has a really unfortunate and terrible history of neuromuscular diseases, including ALS. And so when all of these things started happening, it really made me concerned.

But in terms of what people should be aware of, my advice is anything and everything. Be aware of any changes in your body. Pay attention to your body. You know what's normal and what normal feels like.

And so if you start experiencing something that is out of character or out of pattern, keep track of it. Keep a journal or a log so that when you go to your doctor, you can tell them, I'm experiencing this symptom or this problem every hour or every three days or whatever the case may be. I think you have to really advocate for yourself and make sure that your doctor is listening to you.

I've heard countless stories of people who've been to the doctor, and the doctor has said, well, it's all in your head, and there's nothing wrong with you. So my advice is be your own advocate. If you can't be an advocate, find someone who can be an advocate for you.

And if you don't like the answer you're getting from one doctor, find another doctor. And I'm not insinuating that we should overabuse or abuse the medical resources at our disposal. But you've got to use the resources that you have to make sure that you know what's going on with your body.

I was lucky that all of this took literally months from the time I injured my shoulder to the time that I was diagnosed. But you hear countless times, whether it's people dealing with MS or PD or other issues, that it takes years to get a diagnosis. And that just delays your ability to be under treatment and benefit from some of the therapies and procedures that Dr. de Marcaida mentioned.

JOAN WOODWARD: OK, wonderful. So how can someone who suspects they have a movement disorder, or any other medical condition for that matter, accelerate that path to diagnosis, Doctor?

J. ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA: Yes, you actually don't need the medical perspective. Ann Marie is so sophisticated in her awareness and her knowledge that pretty much she got it right. You have to be aware of the things that are going on within you and trust your instinct.

Because a lot of times, as she shared, we would rather dismiss these things. Instead of dismissing them, ask your primary care physician-- I have this, and then they can evaluate you and make sure that it is something that can be dismissed versus something that needs further workup.

My other recommendation, Joan, is that if you suspect something in particular, such as Parkinson's disease or a malignancy, a cancerous situation, go to a specialist. Medicine has developed so much at this point that one physician, whom we usually refer to as our primary care physician, what used to be referred to as general practitioners, really can't have everything, and all the knowledge, and all the diagnostic testing, and all the therapeutic options at their fingertips.

So if you feel that there is something more specific going on with you because you know yourself, then go see a specialist. You can start with your primary care physician, request for an evaluation. But if there's more going on, seek out that special care.

JOAN WOODWARD: OK, wonderful. So now let's go on and talk about research and treatments for this disease. So through, obviously, we know organizations like the Parkinson's Foundation or the Michael J. Fox Foundation, there's significant amounts of research being done now. So what treatments are currently available, or in the pipeline maybe, of research to give people hope for tomorrow?

J. ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA: My career has been dedicated to furthering research in Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders. My fellowship training was in experimental therapeutics. And what I share with people is that the reason that we have so many medication options, surgical options, infusion pumps, transdermal patches for Parkinson's disease, and similarly, many treatment options for other conditions, is because people participated in clinical trials.

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Slide text: Therapeutic Options for Parkinson Disease. The slide is divided into Currently Available Treatments and Future Therapeutic Options. A flowchart on the Currently Available side begins with a box at the top that reads, Parkinson disease motor symptoms. Bradykinesia with or without rigidity, Tremor. An arrow points from this box to the next box down, which reads, Initial medical therapy. Tremor and/or bradykinesia options. Levodopa preparations. Dopamine agonists. Monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors. Tremor only. Anticholinergic agents (eg, trihexyphenidyl). An arrow points from this box to the next one, which reads, Subsequent medical therapy. Increasing doses and add-on therapies for "wearing off." Levodopa preparations. Monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors. Istradefylline. Dopamine agonists. Catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitors. Amantadine (primarily for dyskinesia). An arrow points from this box down to the next, which reads, Advanced therapy. Tremor and/or bradykinesia options. Levodopa carbidopa enteral suspension infusion. Unilateral or bilateral deep brain stimulation. Subthalamic nucleus. Globus pallidus interna. Tremor only. Unilateral focused ultrasound thalamotomy. Unilateral or bilateral deep brain stimulation (thalamus). Another box running down the right side of the others says, Rehabilitative therapy. For all symptoms and across all disease stages. Exercise. Physical therapy. Occupational therapy. Speech therapy. Text under the figure says, Armstrong MJ, Okun MS. JAMA. 2020:323(6):548-560. A figure under the Future side reads, Targeted Therapies for Parkinson Disease: From Genetics to the Clinic. From Bench to Clinic. 5,000 to 10,000 compounds screened. 250 enter preclinical testing. 5 enter human clinical trials. 1 approved by FDA. A funnel-shaped diagram alongside the text begins with a box labeled, Genetics, that shows three highlighted regions on a strand of DNA, each glowing in a different color. The regions are labeled, SNCA, LRRK2, and GBA. The next section down is a box labeled, Disease biology, showing a normal and a diseased neuron. The normal neuron has a smooth, fluid shape with many branches. The diseased neuron is withered and crooked, and has a hole in its main structure. Text: Neuronal susceptibility and death. The next box down is labeled, Translational Medicine. It has an icon of an area graph, with one section filled in and a section to the right of it only outlined. The box says, Natural History, Biomarkers, Disease Modeling. The last box says, patients, with two opaque human silhouettes and two transparent ones. The box says, Clinical Trials, Regulatory Path. Text under the figure says, Image Credit: New Frontiers in Parkinson's Disease: From Genetics to the Clinic. J Neurosci. 2018 Oct 31:38(44):9375-9382. Logo: Hartford HealthCare. David and Rhoda Chase Family Movement Disorders Center.

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So what I tell my people who I invite to participate in a clinical research study is that when you participate, you may not benefit personally from being in the study. Because for a clinical trial to be well run, you have to have a placebo arm, meaning that you may not be getting the study drug-- a sugar pill, as some people call it-- or you may be getting the study drug. And you won't know what you're taking. We won't know what you're taking. So this is very altruistic.

But for every one of the people that I have cared for who participated in a clinical trial, another medication has become available to the 1 million Americans with Parkinson's disease, to the 10 million people around the world who have Parkinson's disease because you participated in clinical trials.

So, like I said, we have over 30 medications for Parkinson's disease. We have three surgical platforms for Parkinson's disease when they get more advanced. We have infusion pumps that are infused-- where you infuse the medication directly into the intestine, or even subcutaneously, right into the skin, transdermal patches, inhalers. It's really mind-blowing. We have ultrasound therapy to treat tremors in Parkinson's disease.

And in the pipeline, what we are really targeting is personalized medicine. They are more advanced with this, Joan, in cancer treatment. But for neurodegenerative disorders, we are looking to see if the genetic makeup that I was talking about earlier can guide very specifically the treatments that will work for each person.

So as Ann Marie mentioned earlier, we know, and we are always saying, everyone with Parkinson's is different. Your symptoms will be different. Your progression will be different. The nonmotor symptoms you experience will be different. But the question is why? And it could lie within that genetic makeup that you have.

So if everyone's genetic makeup is different, it is arrogant for us to assume that we will find one cure that can treat everybody's Parkinson's. This has to be personalized to whatever it is that is going on in your own personal physiology.

So that is the future of Parkinson's. And we have been seeking that Holy Grail of a cure or something that will slow down the progression of Parkinson's disease for decades. So participate in clinical trials for whatever disease entity you are passionate about, and you are contributing to the future of treating and managing that condition well.

JOAN WOODWARD: That's great advice. I think the clinical trials that go on in the U.S., I mean, just so many breakthroughs, and research is so critically important in all these diseases. How can we help support that further research, Doctor?

J. ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA: Well, you mentioned a lot of organizations that are supporting research. At Hartford Healthcare's Chase Family Movement Disorders Center, we are closely associated with the Parkinson's Foundation that has a global presence.

So it's not just personally participating in clinical trials but also contributing to these organizations that support research-- the Michael J. Fox Foundation that you mentioned earlier, advocating with your senators and congressmen to continue to support research, continue to support the NIH. These are all things we can all do. And it doesn't just have to be about Parkinson's. Whatever is in your family, whatever you are personally going through, support advocacy. Support research.

JOAN WOODWARD: No, that's great advice. All right. Let's pivot a bit. I want to talk about overall wellness, well-being. Doctor, you're a huge advocate, as I heard, for focus on well-being as an approach to healthcare and wellness, as opposed to a single-minded treatment or a focus. So tell me more about the overall well-being and how you advise patients.

J. ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA: Yeah, so--

JOAN WOODWARD: What do you advise patients to do?

J. ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA: Ah, so many things. As you mentioned earlier, Joan, at Hartford HealthCare, we were awarded that designation of Comprehensive Care Center. And the reason for that is because we recognize that, unfortunately, in Western medicine, the focus has always been treating illness without much dedication to promoting wellness.

And besides medications, what we know, things like physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and exercise, and a healthy diet, and sleeping well, and not stressing, and being socially involved actually are magical in helping slow down the progression of Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

We have found that if you exercise regularly in your middle age, which is, at this point, 60. [LAUGHS]

JOAN WOODWARD: Good.

J. ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA: Yes. So if you exercise vigorously in the middle part of your life, you are preventing the onset of dementia, preventing or slowing down the progression of Parkinson's disease. So this is actually something that is the magic pill that we were looking for for so long.

And it's in your hands. The power is in your hands. You can choose to exercise. You can choose to eat healthy. You can choose to remain involved and socialize and do things that you enjoy.

JOAN WOODWARD: That's wonderful. That's wonderful advice. I love hearing it. And we have webinars on every single one of those things you talked about, whether it was sleep, nutrition, exercise. So thank you for that holistic look.

All right, Ann Marie, back to you. I want to talk about living with Parkinson's. And how has this disease changed your life? You have a very, very big job here and your work with your family. I know you volunteer a lot. What are some of the challenges that you face?

ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: In part, this diagnosis has changed everything about my life, and in other ways, it hasn't changed my life at all because I'm determined not to let Parkinson's disease win. To me, peace and acceptance were and are critically important in my ability to deal with Parkinson's. And I don't mean resignation like, oh my, I have Parkinson's. I mean truly acceptance, which cleared the way for me to focus on living with this disease and fighting it every single day.

Everyone's journey is different, and getting to peace and acceptance may not come quickly, and it may not come at all. I'm grateful that it came quickly and easily for me. And at this point in my journey, my symptoms are pretty mild, and it's allowed me to continue to face the challenges that my work life presents and that life in general throws at us every day.

I think part of it is my personality, too, how I'm wired. I'm driven to succeed, and I am pretty stubborn. I don't typically back down from a challenge, and I think that has served me well.

And I think one of the other things is I'm really blessed to have a big circle of support, people who have embraced me and who have accepted me as I am and where I'm at-- my husband, my family, my friends, my work family, my health care team.

Dr. de Marcaida has built an incredible team of talented medical professionals, and they strive to treat me as a whole person and not just treat my disease. I like to say that they've put me at the center of the practice and not in the middle of the practice. They help me navigate my journey, and I'm incredibly grateful to them for that.

JOAN WOODWARD: That's so wonderful. I just-- it's just everything you said is wonderful. So how has this diagnosis made you look at life? Any differently? I mean, are you taking trips? Are you doing things now while you can? How do you think about that?

Because I know when someone gets diagnosed with, say, a cancer or something, they're thinking very differently about their next 10, 20, 30 years on this planet. So how do you think about that?

ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: Yeah, that's inevitable. Any kind of a diagnosis makes you look at things differently in terms of how fragile life can be. I think about what I need to do to live a long, healthy, productive life. And I'd be lying if I didn't say that there are things that scare me, both big and small.

I'm right-handed, and my tremor is in my right hand. So will I be able to write out birthday cards for my nieces and nephews? Will I be able to drive my car and be independent with my husband? And will I become a burden to my husband and family? And what does all that entail? What do we have to do in terms of financial planning and medical planning for the future?

A big challenge for me personally is that whether it's real or not, I feel that there's a stigma associated with PD and with other diseases. It's made me a little more self-conscious when the tremor is present. I worry, can people see my hand tremoring, and what do they think?

It took me a long time before I was able to broadly share my story, in part because I just didn't want people to view me differently or as less than. There's a show on Apple TV right now called Shrinking, and Harrison Ford plays a character who has Parkinson's disease.

And in one of the episodes, he admits that he hasn't told his daughter about the fact that he has Parkinson's disease yet. And he says something like, I'm afraid that she won't see me the same way she used to, that she'll see me as a sad old man who needs to be taken care of. And I totally relate to that statement.

I really want people to know that me and others with diseases, whether they're evident or not, we're still who we are. I'm still capable of everything that I ever was. I'm not fragile because I have PD. If anything, I'm stronger and bolder. I'm not less than. I'm totally focused on living with it. And I really take pride in striving to maintain a normal life as much as I can.

I try to wake up every day and make a choice to fight, and that's how I think I've managed through this. And while I may not have done much that's new and different, I still love to spend time with my family. I love to travel, although I don't make enough time for it.

Joan, I love to golf, like you. Don't make enough time for that either. But I'm trying to do something different. So last year, ballroom dance was different for me, and I know we'll talk about that. My goal is really to try to do something every year that scares me. And I think this year it might be rock climbing, which I've heard is a--

JOAN WOODWARD: Oh, my gosh.

ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: Indoor rock climbing. I'm not scaling any big mountains or anything.

JOAN WOODWARD: Well, I certainly-- I look up to you on the golf course. I am not going to look up to you while we're rock climbing because I will not be rock climbing with you. But if anyone has seen Ann Marie's golf swing, I mean, it is wicked. It is mean. She outdrives me every time.

So Ann Marie, you mentioned it. So let's talk about ballroom dancing. I mean, how in the world did you decide to take this up? I would be so intimidated by it. But I just can't believe you did this, and how did you take it up. Was it Dancing with the Stars that inspired you? Is this a therapeutic thing that may be helping with your PD?

(DESCRIPTION)
Slide text: Hartford HealthCare Stars Dancing for Parkinson's, May 2024. In three photos on the slide, Ann Marie ballroom dances with a partner on stage. In the last photo, she holds hands with her partner and grins as panelists stand and applaud behind her.

(SPEECH)
ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: Yeah. So I didn't set out to start dancing. It-- I like to say that it kind of found me through my Hartford HealthCare team. So at some point early last year, my neurologist called me and left me a message and said, I have a nonmedical question for you. And I thought, hmm, what could she possibly want to ask me?

And when we talked, she told me about this amazing event called Stars Dancing for Parkinson's, which the Chase Family Movement Disorder Center hosts for the last five, now six years this year. And she invited me to be the patient dancer. Every year, they invite someone with Parkinson's to participate as a dancer in this event. And I immediately said, yes, I'll do it. And then I hung up the phone and said, what the heck did you just agree to do? You're not a dancer.

But in preparation, I was given the opportunity to take professional-- to take dance lessons with a professional ballroom dancer. Had 10 lessons. My plan was to take those lessons, participate in the event and then hang up my dance shoes. But little did I know that I was going to fall in love with ballroom, and that I am now getting ready to participate in my second ballroom dance competition.

(DESCRIPTION)
Slide text: Kings Ball, December 2024. In another set of photos, Ann Marie dances across a ballroom floor with her partner, wearing a flowing red and black dress. In the last photo, she poses with her partner in front of a backdrop that says, Kings Ball.

(SPEECH)
JOAN WOODWARD: That's so cool. It is just so cool. So, Doctor, to you, I mean, you played a big role in Ann Marie's journey here in ballroom dancing because your husband, Vlad, is her dance instructor and partner. So is this ballroom dancing good form of exercise for PD patients, and do you recommend it for others?

J. ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA: It is fantastic. So the reason why we put together that fundraiser that Ann Marie was telling you about, Stars Dancing for Parkinson's, is because you have a neurologist who is a specialist in Parkinson's disease married to a professional ballroom dancer. So if you have a ballroom dancer and a neurologist together, what do you get? Stars Dancing for Parkinson's.

And it was actually my husband's idea to put together that fundraiser because I was-- I came home one day, six, seven years ago now, and I was saying, I really want to have exercise classes for our patients at the Chase Family Movement Disorder Center. But I want it to be free of charge because I don't want financial restrictions to limit their ability to access these exercise classes.

So we have Tai Chi, yoga, dance classes, high-intensity interval training, boxing in all of our comprehensive centers at Hartford HealthCare. And he said, well, I know some professional dancers, and I even know the people who used to be at that ABC show, Dancing with the Stars. They can be your judges. And my colleagues in the ballroom studio can be your pros. And you just have to find me celebrities.

So we have people who are the leadership of Hartford HealthCare, some people from the community who would volunteer-- more like being voluntold-- to be part of this event. And we put together that fundraiser, which year after year has raised more and more for the wellness programs at Hartford HealthCare.

But ballroom dancing is-- actually, in one review of all of the exercises for Parkinson's disease, they found that ballroom dancing may be the most effective. And I'm sure Ann Marie can appreciate why.

(DESCRIPTION)
Slide text: 6th Annual Stars Dancing for Parkinson's Fundraiser. Each one of our comprehensive centers includes Community Wellness and Education Rooms as venues for patient education programs and exercise classes such as PD dance, TaiChi, yoga, and boxing. We believe strongly in the benefit these programs have on our people with Movement Disorders that we offer them through highly trained instructors free-of-charge to our patients with your support. A QR code sits at the middle bottom of the slide, between two pictures of Ann Marie dancing with Vlad. In the first photo, Ann Marie grips Vlad's hands, smiling up at him. In the other, she holds Vlad's hand as the panelists applaud behind them. A lit prop reads, Stars.

(SPEECH)
You have to be aware of your posture. So stooping of the posture is something that happens with Parkinson's disease. You have a partner who pushes you to take longer strides and even challenges your balance. Do you do some dips, Ann Marie, and some twirls and turns?

ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: Absolutely.

J. ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA: Yeah. Yeah. So this is something that challenges your balance. The music in and of itself is therapeutic. So you are doing all of these exercise routines to music, which activates a different part of the brain. And there's a social aspect, the connection with your partner, the connection with the dance community. So there are so many things about ballroom dancing.

And, in fact, a study was done, clinical trial was done. And it showed that Argentine tango was superior to other exercise routines at the gym for Parkinson's disease and the benefits that it shows. So Ann Marie has it right. It is fantastic.

JOAN WOODWARD: That's awesome. Are there other exercises in particular for PD patients, would you say, or just generally exercising, no matter what it is, just getting out there and doing it? Or is there something in particular other than ballroom dancing?

J. ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA: Exactly as you say, Joan. So what's key is that-- so not all of us have the courage to start dancing. Find something that you enjoy but do it frequently.

What we have found is that if you exercise-- and you can aim towards achieving this. Don't expect to do it right away. Build up to it. But 150 minutes of vigorous exercise every week is what we find to be most therapeutic, most beneficial to your overall health.

But even if you do something 10 minutes a day, just do it. And then after a while, yeah, make it 15 minutes. And any exercise routine is beneficial. So just find something you enjoy.

JOAN WOODWARD: Good, good. Good. I like to hear that. So Ann Marie, you're very active on LinkedIn, as am I. If you're not following us, if you're in the audience today, go on your LinkedIn while you're listening to us talk and join us on LinkedIn.

I post a lot about webinars and content. Ann Marie posts as well. But also, she posts her story. And a lot of people, I'm sure, Ann Marie, have reached out to you on LinkedIn. Tell us why you decided to be that open with your journey on LinkedIn.

ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: Yeah. Like I said, it took me a long time to be comfortable in sharing my journey, but I finally realized that I had nothing to be ashamed of and that if I did share my story, I might actually be able to help other people in that process. And so it has helped me a lot, but I also hope that it has helped other people in other ways.

JOAN WOODWARD: Great. So I want to talk about resiliency. So Ann Marie's journey of resiliency and attitude and outlook is just remarkable. Doctor, what have you learned from her that you may share with your other patients at the Movement Disorder Center to help others?

J. ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA: I think that one of the things that Ann Marie shared today is something that I wish everyone with Parkinson's disease or other medical conditions would recognize. So you are not your Parkinson's. You are still you. And there is a personality profile that has been described for people with Parkinson's disease that actually characterizes Ann Marie to a T.

A lot of people who are diagnosed with Parkinson's disease are highly intelligent, are good citizens, good husbands, good wives, always followed the rules. Usually, professionals-- doctors, nurses, engineers. A lot of professionals get Parkinson's disease.

They never smoked. They drank milk because mother told them to. And all of these things actually have been explained on the basis of the dopamine deficiency. So dopamine, if you have a lot of it, is actually the adventure chemical of the brain.

So a lot of people with high levels of dopamine will be cutting class, will be partying, drinking, smoking, doing all these things. But somebody who's genetically predisposed to develop Parkinson's in later life will have less dopamine from the get-go.

So they are not cutting class. They are going to school. They are going to higher learning. They are following the rules. So there are so many things about people with Parkinson's disease that make them invaluable members of society. And they are very gifted, very talented, very strong people.

And you must never lose sight of yourself. Always know that you are still you. You are you with Parkinson's disease. You are you with cancer, but you are still you. Never identify yourself as I am my Parkinson's disease. You are not.

JOAN WOODWARD: That's wonderful. That's just wonderful, and I really appreciate you saying all that for those listening.

ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: And for the record, I never cut class.

[LAUGHTER]

JOAN WOODWARD: I believe that. I believe that.

J. ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA: That's right. You are classic-- classic personality.

JOAN WOODWARD: OK, so we want to go to audience questions. There are many, many, many questions coming in. We can't get to all of them. But one of them-- a lot of them coming in are about caregivers.

And these questions from spouses or family members, not just with Parkinson's, maybe cancer or maybe dementia, other diseases people are living with, they're all asking about caregiving advice. So what are those really key ingredients or important things that you've learned over the way? I'm going to ask both of you, Ann Marie, you want to go first and talk about caregiving recommendations?

ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: Yeah. So caregiving is going to change over the course of my life. I'm independent now. And what works for me today is great, but that might not work for me in five to 10 years, and so making sure that my family and my friends and my network of caregivers understand what could happen down the road.

I think that's critically important, so that they're aware and they're watching out with me and for me and that they keep me in the conversation. Don't make decisions for me. Make decisions with me for as long as we can.

And then just in terms of advice for caregivers, take care of yourself. Because if you break down, you're not going to be able to help me. And so, always making sure that you're looking out for yourself is critically important.

JOAN WOODWARD: And Doctor, what is your advice for caregivers?

J. ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA: So for us, in our practice, we like to call people care partners for exactly the reason that Ann Marie says. So you have to be part of that journey.

A lot of people come to the office, and they come alone. As much as people can, be with your loved one when they go to the doctor's office, because your perspective is invaluable, especially for-- if the spouse with the condition, such as Parkinson's disease, is a man.

So men never complain about anything. You ask them all these things. Oh yes, I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine. And there's nothing wrong with them. Having the wife there or the partner there to give that third-person perspective is so helpful for the physician caring for your loved one. And I echo Ann Marie's advice to always take care of yourself.

So, what I say is that it becomes even more crucial if your loved one has a chronic condition for you to take time off. Because if you burn out, then your loved one is going to be even more vulnerable. And knowing that your loved one-- like I said, it's not their condition. So you still have to make sure that you are relating to them as their partner, as their husband, as their wife.

And when the time comes that providing care that your loved one needs is a little bit more than you can do, I always recommend, if you can, to get professional help. Have somebody that you can have come into the house for a few hours each day so that you can remain the husband. You can remain the wife.

Because after a while, if there's a lot of care that goes into the everyday, it erodes relationships. And you don't want that. You want to continue to be in that loving, supportive relationship and leave these other things to a professional.

JOAN WOODWARD: Yeah, I'm going to recommend here for those who want to know more about caregiving, I had a terrific webinar on-- a good friend of mine was struck-- was in an Amtrak train that derailed. It was one of the worst Amtrak-- very fatal crashes outside of Philadelphia. Her name is Geralyn Ritter, R-I-T-T-E-R.

She wrote a book, and she was very candid about her relationship with her husband as a caregiver. And I think she had 17 operations. It was a very, very significant train crash for her. And she was very honest in the book about how they got through that.

And so if you're a caregiver married to someone, supporting someone, and you're looking for solutions and ideas and kind of advice from someone who was really critically ill, go to Geralyn Ritter's book. I thought it was a fantastic look at this topic.

So, I love the notion of taking care of yourself first. It's put your own mask on before you mask the person next to you. I think that's wonderful. How about those of us-- me, for example-- so I'm not a caregiver to Ann Marie, but how could I be supportive of a work colleague or someone in my circle who might have it? What can I do? Ann Marie, you want to answer that one?

ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: Yeah. Thanks, Joan. I think just get involved and be with them. I appreciate-- now that people are aware that I have Parkinson's disease, or more aware, they ask me how I'm doing, and I really appreciate that.

As I said, I have a great circle of family and friends who support me. And I had over 40 of them with me at the dancing event last May, and it meant so much. I had so many people, colleagues and friends who actually donated to the event.

I have people who pray for me, and I so appreciate that. They understand how committed I am to fighting this disease, and they're finding ways to support me. A great example of that is my amazing niece, Lindsey, who is running the Chicago Marathon in October, raising funds for the Parkinson's Foundation. So I'm going to have a link up on my LinkedIn page pretty soon to her fundraising page.

JOAN WOODWARD: Awesome.

ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: I'm really excited about that for her, so I appreciate all the support.

JOAN WOODWARD: Awesome. OK, so Ann Marie, last question for you here before we get more audience questions. For anyone listening or watching to this, what is your message to them?

ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: Dr. de Marcaida touched on this. I'm still me. Don't treat me as I'm not capable. Don't treat me as if I'm less than. Just be aware that I'm me, and I still have hopes and dreams and goals that I want to achieve.

But if you see me and I'm not looking 100%, I might be having a little bit of a rough day. And so give some grace and kindness. I think that's so critically important because we don't understand what people are dealing with physically, emotionally, mentally. And so, just that giving grace and being kind to people goes a really long way.

JOAN WOODWARD: OK. Audience question coming in from Kelly Kearney, maybe to both of you. What leadership lessons can organizations take from individuals like Ann Marie about fostering resiliency, inclusion and career? Because, again, as an employer, we want to be supportive. But what advice do you have, Ann Marie, for that?

ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: Yeah. So I think this goes back to my comment on the perceived stigma. Acknowledge what's going on with people. Ask them if there's something that can be done to help them deal with it. Don't assume that I can't tackle the next big project or take on a bigger role simply because I have Parkinson's disease.

There are still goals. There are still things that I want to achieve in my career and in my life. And don't ascribe limitations to people. And if your organization has resources, share those resources and make them known so that people can take advantage of them when and if they need them.

JOAN WOODWARD: OK, wonderful. Kim an- oh, I'm sorry, Doctor. Did you want to mention anything about that?

J. ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA: Well, I think the only thing that I'm going to add, leadership and organization need to take a more proactive role in terms of making sure that they are supporting people with chronic conditions, with disabilities, and to understand that a lot of these people, as regards Parkinson's disease, like I said, these are very talented people. And after the diagnosis, know that a lot of these highly talented, strong people become even more tenacious.

So take advantage of that tenacity that comes with knowing that you have to double up your efforts to overcome, and make sure that opportunities are given to them and accommodations, if necessary, to make your organization friendly and nontoxic and just supportive of everybody in the community.

JOAN WOODWARD: Wonderful Thank you. Thank you for that. OK, another question coming in from Kim Anctil wants to know, Ann Marie, where do you find the courage and strength on your worst days? Or maybe how are you thinking about your worst days maybe to come?

ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: Yeah.

JOAN WOODWARD: Your-- OK.

ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: I don't consider myself to be particularly strong or courageous any more than anyone else who's dealing with something. But I just go back to every day I wake up, I have a choice to make about whether I'm going to roll over and give in, or whether I'm going to get up and fight. And I just can't not get up and fight.

So that's how I approach every single day, good days and bad days. My ballroom dance experience is giving me new perspective and a new sense of confidence. If I can dance in front of 600 or more people and in front of professional dancers and professional judges with full hair performance and makeup I really don't like, I can do more than I give myself credit for. And so I just can't let Parkinson's disease limit me. I won't.

JOAN WOODWARD: Yeah. I mean, that experience alone. You can handle any insurance challenge that comes your way during 9 to 5 if you're doing that on the weekends.

OK. Another question for you, Ann Marie. Edward Oxner of Simkiss & Block asks, what do you do for yourself that helps keep your mind clear or mentally focused on your success plan?

ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: Yeah, that's a great question. Thank you. It's hard for all of us to stay focused. We have so many distractions every single day. And I'd like to say that meditation is helping me, but I don't have the attention span for meditation. So I just really try to focus on being present in the moment and focusing on the task at hand, whether it's something at work, or whether it's planning with my family or learning a new dance.

And actually-- I go back to it-- but ballroom dance has really helped me to learn to be present in the moment and to focus because I have to. I have to think about what's that next step. Otherwise, I'm going to make a mistake. I'm going to screw it up.

So just trying to keep the perspective of there's so much more good in my life than not. And that helps me stay focused and try to achieve something new every day.

JOAN WOODWARD: OK, wonderful. A lot of people are asking this question. Ann Marie, you can take it first. And then, Doctor, to you. Our viewers want to know where they can give to find a cure for Parkinson's? What are the organizations would you recommend that they look at?

ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: So obviously, I have a couple of favorites. One is the Hartford HealthCare Chase Family Movement Disorder Center-- so supporting them and the programs that they have for patients that Dr. de Marcaida talked about, the Parkinson's Foundation and another shameless plug for Lindsay and her Chicago Marathon bid, and the Michael J. Fox Foundation. I mean, those last-- all three of those are really favorites of mine and something that I'm-- organizations that I'm committed to giving to.

JOAN WOODWARD: Wonderful. Doctor?

J. ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA: Earlier when I was showing pictures of Stars Dancing for Parkinson's, there was a QR code there for donating to the Chase Family Movement Disorders Center's wellness programs through the Stars Dancing for Parkinson's event.

(DESCRIPTION)
The QR code slide reappears.

(SPEECH)
So I think that the decision to give to specific organizations, as Ann Marie mentioned-- Parkinson's Foundation, Michael J. Fox Foundation or Hartford HealthCare-- depends on what your passions are. So if you think that you would like to donate directly to a local institution like Hartford HealthCare that is directly caring for patients, then yes, you may choose to graciously and generously donate to our event.

If you wish to donate towards advocacy and more of a political presence, the Michael J. Fox Foundation is excellent. If you want to donate towards research and resources, education, the Parkinson's Foundation has a lot of resources globally to educate the community of patients and their families dealing with Parkinson's disease. So it has to depend on where you want your dollars to go. And we are grateful for any support towards the community of Parkinson's disease.

JOAN WOODWARD: OK, wonderful. So folks out there, we have a survey in our chat. And what I'd love for you to do now if you can, if you have a minute or two-- you don't need to spend 10 minutes on this. But in our survey, we ask you what other topics you would like us to take on at the Travelers Institute in our Wednesday sessions.

And this came in as an idea a few months back. And we talked to Ann Marie, and she was so thrilled to quickly say yes, and we're grateful for that. And then hugely grateful for you being so open and transparent, Ann Marie, on your story.

But please do take our survey. Let us know what other topics, what other speakers you would like us to-- You can put insurance-related content if you want to have more on that. We do about half of our webinars on insurance and the other half on things that I think are really important for us as a society to come together on.

So with that, I'm going to talk for a few minutes about what is upcoming. But before I go into our upcoming programming, a heartfelt thanks to you, Ann Marie, and to Doctor for joining us today, raising awareness, raising funds, of course-- and we don't do this very often to talk about funding some organizations that are very worthwhile.

So this is, I think, our first time we've ever talked about how you can raise funds for a charity. So let us know what you thought about that as well, folks.

Ann Marie, Doctor, thank you so much for joining us.

(DESCRIPTION)
Slide text: Wednesdays with Woodward (registered trademark) Webinar Series. Text between speech bubble icons says, Take Our Survey. Link in chat.

(SPEECH)
J. ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA: Thank you, Joan, and thank you everyone who tuned in.

ANN MARIE COLAPIETRO: Yes, thank you so much. Really appreciate it.

(DESCRIPTION)
Slide text: Upcoming In Person Event: May 13: Forces at Work, San Ramon, CA. Upcoming Webinars: May 14: Mastering M and A: Strategies for Risk Management. May 21: Mindset for Success on the Course and in Your Career with Dr. Mo Pickens. June 4: Live from the CAT Center: Where Expertise Meets Innovation. Register: Travelers Institute dot-org.

(SPEECH)
JOAN WOODWARD: OK. Now folks, I want to talk about what's upcoming at the Travelers Institute. First is our in-person programming. We are going to be just outside of San Francisco in San Ramon, California on May 13. I hope you'll join us there if you're in the Northern California region. We're going to put a link in the chat if you want to join us there.

We also have some great webinars coming up. On May 14, we're going to talk about M&A, mergers and acquisitions. And we know a lot in the insurance industry, this is a very, very hot topic. Our panel is going to equip you with the knowledge to help your clients manage uncertainty, mitigate risks and position your organizations for long-term success after an M&A.

Then May 21, we'll be talking about the mindset of world-renowned sports psychologist and golf coach-- see, there's a thread here. I'm having webinars on things I'm interested in. So he is a world-renowned-- he coaches top PGA golfers in the world.

His name is Dr. Mo Pickens, if you want to go look at his website. But his clients have won four majors. And he's going to join us talking about your insights on mindset, framing routines, how these important principles can help you succeed on the golf course this summer and in your career. These are not just lessons for mindset on the golf course, but also in your career.

And have you ever wondered how Travelers prepares to meet customer needs during those CATs that happen out there-- weather catastrophes, fire, earthquake, hurricane? On June 4, we're going to take you behind the flagship Claim University CAT Center. And this is part 2 of our part 3 series at Travelers Claim-- a look-- a sneak peek, really-- behind how we handle catastrophes and prepare for them from our command center. It's very cool.

(DESCRIPTION)
A podcast logo has a red microphone icon. It says, Travelers Institute Risk and Resilience. Travelers Institute (registered trademark). Travelers.

(SPEECH)
And lastly, don't forget you can listen to us on our Travelers Institute Risk & Resilience podcast, available on Apple, Spotify and Google. And once again, thank you to my terrific guests today. Thank you all for joining us on our Wednesdays. We can't do it without your input. So please let us know how we do-- what you like, what you don't like.

Take care, folks. Have a wonderful weekend, and we'll see you next week.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

(DESCRIPTION)
Text under a video player icon says, Watch. Travelers Institute dot-org. Text under the LinkedIn logo says, Connect. Joan Kois Woodward. Text under a microphone icon says, Listen. Wherever you get your podcasts.