Meet Francis Kurz, a DPC volunteer and keen golfer. Together with fellow DPC volunteer Olivette, he is organising the Demoucelle Golf Series at several clubs this summer and hopes to increase the number of participating clubs next year.
For more information about the competitions, please click here:
https://www.demoucelle.com/blog/charity-post/golf-tournaments/
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Can you introduce yourself?
Francis Kurz, German, 57-years young, two daughters and a Wallonian wife, executive in food and pharma. My hobbies are running and golf. I also like to travel and read a lot.
Comment soutenez-vous l'association caritative Demoucelle Parkinson ?
I learned about the organisation through a golf event organised at my club and I decided that I wanted to contribute my time to help raise funds and raise public awareness of the disease and the need to find a cure.
Why have you chosen to support research to find a cure for Parkinson’s disease?
I strongly believe in health as one of the pillars of life, with education as the second. As a former pharmaceutical executive, I find that small research entities develop new compounds and solutions faster and that they then benefit from the big development and sales machine of a pharma corporate at a later stage. Therefore, the work of Demoucelle Parkinson Charity and the Michael J Fox Foundation (in supporting research) is crucial, and they need sustainable financing.
What impact has Parkinson’s disease had on you personally?
I have friends and business partners that are affected (by the disease) and I wish that there was a cure that would stabilise their disease. Parkinson’s is a terrible diagnosis and often people lose their self-confidence so we need to reassure them.
What do you want people to know about Parkinson’s disease?
For me, it’s important to create awareness of the fact that modern society excludes people that are ‘different’. Parkinson’s makes you different in the way you interact with others. The phrases that summarise my wish for the world are: “being humble and well intentioned toward others” and “build a better future”, by which I mean that we need to make the world a better place every day and we should take care of our family, friends, neighbours and even people we do not yet know. Live together for a better life.
What advice would you give to other people who want to organise an event to support Parkinson’s research?
Do something sustainable, something your heart is in and do it with people you admire and appreciate. It is a hard road. Nothing is simply handed to you or done for you and you have to really make an effort to get things going, so do it with people that support and help you and find the right partners.
Quelle est la devise qui vous guide le plus dans la vie ?
By coincidence it is a quote from golf:
“Golf is the closest game to the game we call Life. You get bad breaks from good shots, you get good breaks from bad shots … but you have to play the ball where it lies” – Bobby Jones
I would add: “You are the captain of your heart and your destiny.”
