Tom and Sharon Sabourin

“Nothing worthwhile is accomplished without grit,” says Tom Sabourin, 63, of Chelsea, Michigan. “For me, All Grit. No Quit. is like those last two-tenths of a mile in a marathon. You want to quit, but thousands are cheering for you, so you keep going.”

The determination and resilience to keep going until you cross the finish line is the spirit of All Grit. No Quit., and it’s what has guided Tom for decades.

An old photograph of a grandmother sitting on a couch with four of her young grandchildren. — Tom (far right) as a young boy with his grandmother, Stella, and siblings.

Growing up, Tom’s grandmother, Stella, lived with him and his parents, filling their home with laughter and classic Polish dishes that only she knew the recipes for. When she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s during Tom’s teenage years, everything changed.

Tom saw her journey from the very beginning — the progression of symptoms, medications and her strength in the face of each new challenge. Watching someone he loved navigate Parkinson’s sparked his dedication to help change the future for every family facing this disease.

For me, All Grit. No Quit. is like those last two-tenths of a mile in a marathon. You want to quit, but thousands are cheering for you, so you keep going.

Tom and friends after completing the NYC Half Marathon on behalf of Team Fox — In addition to his legacy gift to MJFF, Tom continues to support Parkinson’s research by participating in events around the country.

That’s when he turned to The Michael J. Fox Foundation. Tom became one of the Foundation’s earliest supporters: donating, being a Team Fox mentor and raising funds for research by climbing Denali — the highest mountain peak in North America.

Now, Tom and his wife, Sharon, are providing transformational support to power the next chapter of All Grit. No Quit. By including a gift to the Foundation in his estate plan, they are ensuring that the momentum toward a cure will continue until the job is done.

Tom hopes his commitment inspires others to take action: “If enough people get involved and invest in the search for a cure,” he says, “our efforts will pay off.”

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All Grit. No Quit.