What started off as a chairing opportunity for HAPS (Houston Area's Parkinson's Society) has turned into a full fledged marathon for Toepperwein. She lives with the disease every day, but nothing stops her.
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"Wait a minute, I have been on America Ninja Warrior," said Toepperwein. "I do all these stupid things like pull a jeep with my body and do all these crazy obstacles. I can't not run the full marathon."
Toepperwein is as fit and active as they come, but it wasn't always that way.
"I sat in Dr. Jacob Jankovic's office a couple of months after I was diagnosed and he said get moving because exercise is the only thing to proven to slow the progression. I took that to heart. That is something I can do, I can control. It has been nothing but a miracle," said Toepperwein.
Toepperwein says Parkinson's isn't a death sentence, it's a life sentence.
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"It is a way that every day, I can wake up and be thankful grateful for my life, look at it as a blessing and live life to the fullest," said Toepperwein.
Living life to the fullest includes running 26.2 miles over Houston.
"One of my check marks was the Houston Marathon. So, I am going to check that off and move on to my next adventure."