Fresno-area nonprofit marks decade helping Parkinson’s patients with exercise, support

At 6735 N. First St. in Fresno, a small boxing-based program has become a lifeline for people with Parkinson’s disease and the family members who care for them. Rock Steady Boxing Central Cal is marking 10 years in operation, a milestone that underscores how much demand has grown for specialized exercise, support and affordable services in Fresno County.

Founded by John Bowers after a chance meeting with a man newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at a UFC gym, the program started with one-on-one training sessions and gradually grew into a group class. Bowers later became a certified Rock Steady Boxing coach, building a local program around the national organization’s non-contact, boxing-based fitness curriculum aimed at improving quality of life for people with Parkinson’s.

The need is practical and immediate. Parkinson’s can affect movement, balance and independence, and the workouts at Rock Steady combine boxing drills with stretching, yoga moves and strength training to help participants stay active despite a disease that changes daily routines. The program has also turned into a social anchor. Rad and Patty Kirby, who have attended for more than four years, said the exercise and the relationships matter in everyday life. Patty said doctors have seen measurable improvement in her husband’s scores over time.

Bowers said he built the program to reach beyond people who can pay for specialized classes out of pocket. Through the Exercise for Life Foundation, he helps cover access for people who otherwise could not afford the classes. He also offers online sessions, workouts at the local gym, classes at the park and travel help for people who cannot get to him, extending care into parts of the county where Parkinson’s-specific services can be hard to find.

That flexibility has helped Rock Steady grow from a niche offering into a steady resource for Fresno families. In 2016, ABC30 reported the northeast Fresno program was the only certified Rock Steady Boxing program of its kind in the Central Valley. Today, the class network includes advanced sessions led by Bowers and park-based workouts at the southeast corner of Maple and Shepard, showing how the program has expanded beyond a single gym.

Bowers plans to attend the World Parkinson Congress Summit in Arizona next month, bringing back new ideas as the Fresno program enters its second decade. For local families navigating Parkinson’s, that kind of long-term support has become part of the region’s care landscape.