OHIO — Dr. Sara Whittingham, an anesthesiologist and Air Force veteran, completed the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, on October 14, 2023. Whittingham was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2020.
Whittingham's family moved from Utah to Ohio. In November 2020, she began experiencing forgetfulness, gait stiffness, and a one-sided resting arm tremor. Whittingham searched her symptoms online and found information linking them to Parkinson's disease. A neurologist at a Cleveland Clinic regional hospital confirmed her Parkinson's disease diagnosis.
Whittingham enrolled in a clinical study examining the effects of cycling on Parkinson's disease progression. Dr. Jay Alberts, a medical researcher, leads studies on how aerobic exercise affects Parkinson's disease progression. Alberts' research indicates that cycling at 75 or more rotations per minute for 30 to 40 minutes, at least three times weekly, can slow the disease's progression.
"It ended up being a lifeline." Whittingham said. "The more I started riding the bike, the better I felt and the more I felt like I was coming back to life." "If you think about this disease, this is a disease that robs individuals of control." Alberts said. "Most treatment options are up to a neurologist, but the self-directed element of the exercise prescription helps give some control back to the patient."
Whittingham completed a half triathlon and placed ahead of her husband. "I never, ever thought that would be something that I would be able to accomplish." Whittingham said. "To cross the finish line and hear my name being called three years after my diagnosis was just unreal."
In 2024, Whittingham participated in a qualifying event for the U.S. Paralympic Team. In 2025, she enrolled in a study examining the effects of community-based exercise for Parkinson's patients. Whittingham spoke at a policy forum hosted by Michael J. Fox and was appointed to an advisory council for the National Institutes of Health's National Plan to End Parkinson's. She is also writing a book about her experience with Parkinson's disease. "The brain is such a miraculous, adaptable organ that it will find a way." Whittingham said. "You don't need to finish an Ironman, but set the most outrageous goal you can think of."