By Ellen Fannon
Optimum Hope. That’s what Diane Gordon and her son, Christian McCowen, offer their clients with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders.
Taking a huge step of faith, Diane and Christian opened Optimum Hope Gym in Niceville with the goal of making the program accessible to everyone with mobility challenges. Diane, a retired physical therapy assistant with 32 years of experience, and Christian, a physical therapy technician with 10 years of experience, got the idea from Diane’s former classmate and friend, Beverly Bell, who opened a similar facility in Tennessee. They saw how the therapy dramatically improved people’s quality of life and patterned their gym after hers.
Optimum Hope utilizes the Rock Steady Boxing method, a program specifically designed for people with Parkinson’s disease. Rock Steady Boxing is a first-of-its-kind Indianapolis-based nonprofit founded in 2006 to provide effective physical exercise for people with Parkinson’s. The organization was founded by former Marion County, Indiana, prosecutor Scott C. Newman, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at age 40.
The fitness programs, tailored to each individual client, provide noncontact boxing to improve strength, balance, endurance, gait, flexibility, posture and stress relief.
Diane and Christian became certified in Rock Steady Boxing by completing online classes and spending a weekend training in Indianapolis. Although the program is designed for people with Parkinson’s disease, it can benefit anyone with a mobility disorder. In addition to clients with Parkinson’s, Diane and Christian serve people with multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and other neurological and muscular disorders.
They work with each client three times a week in one-hour sessions. In addition to physical exercises, Diane and Christian incorporate cognition and voice exercises into the program. To maximize benefits, they continually vary the routines.
Clients pay $120 per month for the program, although no one is turned away because of an inability to pay. Diane opened the gym using personal funds and receives no paycheck. Christian, a single father, receives minimal compensation. Currently, the facility operates at a loss while Diane pursues grant opportunities. They also accept tax-deductible donations.
They spread awareness of their ministry by attending Parkinson’s support groups, accepting physician referrals, connecting with physical therapists and giving presentations. Word of mouth also continues to play an important role. Recently, they began renting the facility on days it is closed to help offset operating costs.
Diane and Christian begin each day by praying for their clients and asking God to help them show patience, love and kindness. They demonstrate Christ’s love through their actions, creating an upbeat and encouraging atmosphere. Laughter plays a prominent role in their work. Inspiring messages fill the walls and whiteboards. When clients are hospitalized, Diane and Christian visit and pray with them.
Displaying and living out her servant’s heart comes naturally to Diane. Prior to opening Optimum Hope, she founded and operated Genesis House, a faith-based halfway house for men recovering from alcohol and drug addiction.
Men entering Genesis House were required to obtain employment, attend church and participate in Bible studies. It is impossible to measure the physical, emotional and spiritual impact Genesis House had on the lives of the many men who completed the program during its 15 years of operation.
After retiring from her 32-year career as a physical therapy assistant because of her husband’s battle with cancer, Diane still felt called to help people. God impressed upon her heart that her 15-year season of operating Genesis House had run its course and it was time for a new chapter.
While visiting Beverly in Tennessee, Diane saw firsthand how Rock Steady Boxing positively affected the lives of people with mobility disorders, and a new vision was born. The calling became even clearer when Christian became excited about joining the ministry alongside his mother.
Together, Diane and Christian model Christ’s example of caring for the sick. They have already witnessed dramatic improvements in the lives of their clients. It is truly heartwarming to see a mother and son working side by side to provide a much-needed service to the community, serving an often-overlooked population and offering renewed hope.
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
— Matthew 25:40 (NIV)
