Derek and Bonnie Bandeen started the Parkinson’s Wellness Foundation to help people with Parkinson’s access exercise classes and other services tailored to their needs. Photo courtesy of the Parkinson’s Wellness Foundation.
A persistent tremor was what finally convinced Derek Bandeen to schedule a doctor’s appointment. He was 55, recently retired, and considered himself to be in great health. As such, he fully expected to walk out of the office with a referral for diagnostic tests, maybe some medications.
Instead, he left with those three life-changing words: You have Parkinson’s. And little else. No detailed explanation of what that meant, and absolutely no direction on how to live with the disease. He and his wife, Bonnie Miao Bandeen, had big plans for their next chapter as retirees, and none of them included acclimating to life with a neurodegenerative disease.
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The Bandeen Center offers fitness classes using a variety of exercises designed for all abilities.
The Bandeen Center hosts events, lectures and social hours to bring the PD community together.
From dance and yoga to tai chi, classes at The Bandeen Center focus on helping class participants improve balance, strength and coordination.
“As I did my research, what I realized quickly was that there were a lot of people working on a cure for Parkinson’s, but very few people working on how to improve everyday life for people with Parkinson’s,” says Derek.
And that’s how Derek and Bonnie Bandeen turned what they expected to be their carefree retirement years — they had worked alongside each other at Morgan Stanley for decades — into a mission to help people with Parkinson’s manage the everyday challenges of living with the disease. They immersed themselves in Parkinson’s-related causes, and in 2020 Bonnie joined the Board of Directors of The Michael J. Fox Foundation. Her impact on the board, based on the couple’s passion for progress in Parkinson’s-related initiatives, was immediate.
"Bonnie and Derek exemplify the kind of leadership that moves our mission forward. They bring not only deep professional expertise but also lived experience with Parkinson's — and they use both to help solve everyday challenges for people with the disease. The community benefits in very real ways because of their commitment," says Debi Brooks, MJFF CEO and co-founder.
From Idea to Reality
In 2022, four years after his diagnosis, Derek and Bonnie were selected as fellows at the Harvard Advanced Leadership Institute. As part of their project, they envisioned a wellness center for people with Parkinson’s. In 2024 they started the Parkinson’s Wellness Foundation, and this year opened The Bandeen Center, a 7,000 square-foot fitness and community space in midtown Manhattan. The goal is to provide access to resources known to make life with Parkinson’s more manageable: exercise, support groups, nutrition classes and art and vocal therapy.
Exercise is the only therapy shown to slow progression of the disease, so it is a pinnacle of programming at The Bandeen Center, which offers subscription-based access to dance, tai chi, yoga and strength-building classes. Memberships are paid, but scholarships and other sliding scale fee options are readily available and people are encouraged to inquire about them.
“What we’ve seen for ourselves is that when you have Parkinson’s, the truth is that you have to focus on fitness in order to stay in the same place as far as symptoms and progression of disease,” says Bonnie. “By having a center where they can just come to one spot and pick some classes, it just makes maintaining where they are with their Parkinson’s a little bit easier.”
Exercise is shown to help with symptoms such as balance and constipation. But Parkinson’s is a mixed bag, and every person has their unique experience of how it affects them physically as well as emotionally. “Derek used to think he could work out five days a week and be done, but there are so many other things to address, such as vocal therapy and social connection,” says Bonnie. “Curating a vibrant quality of life is a lot of work, and we’re hoping the center is the place that makes that work easier for people with Parkinson’s as well as their care partners.”
A Space for the Parkinson’s Community
Community is the thread that knits together the Parkinson’s Wellness Foundation’s mission. People with Parkinson’s can take an exercise class alongside others at various stages of disease, while their care partners can participate in support groups, educational sessions or even join a workout.
“We want everyone — patients and care partners both — to feel relief, support and excitement when they visit The Bandeen Center,” says Catherine Rocco Goodwin, the center’s executive director. “Life with Parkinson’s can be extremely overwhelming, and we want people to know they are not alone, that there are others going through similar experiences.”
The Bandeens, who have four adult children and recently became grandparents, do marvel at how differently their retirement years turned out compared to what they had planned. And even they are surprised by the enormity of the task they have taken on — they have visions of The Bandeen Center model being expanded to locations across New York City, even beyond. While the work is intense, they take inspiration from Michael J. Fox himself.
“Michael is one of the most famous actors in the world, and Parkinson’s is a very hard disease to have in that industry,” says Derek. “If he had just parked himself away in an apartment and we never heard from him again, I would not have held it against him. Instead, to see someone do exactly the reverse, and to go after Parkinson’s with all he’s got — he’s a hero to me. And the world could use more heroes.”
The Bandeen Center is located at 133 East 58th Street in New York City. Visit the Parkinson’s Wellness Foundation website for information on membership, events and to book a class.