The path of “Papa” Babbush and his family, to share research and resources.
By Lindsey Geiss
Degenerative neurological diseases are the leading cause of disability worldwide. The Parkinson’s Foundation reports an estimated 90,000 Americans each year are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. A Parkinson’s diagnosis looks different to every person.
Amy Babbush Eisenberg’s 87-year-old father, Dr. Charles “Chuck” Babbush, DDS, MScD, received his Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2017, five years after small essential tremors began in one hand.
The occasional trembling was first believed to be a result of the fine motor intensity of his long career as a renowned maxillofacial surgeon. However, the uncontrollable movements became larger in magnitude over the next few years, leading to a difficult decision to retire from practice.
“It’s not just discomfort, it’s what it does to your psyche — how it plays games with your head,” Chuck Babbush shared, describing his progression as “aggressive and ugly.”
“As I look back, there was never a ‘poor me’ moment,” Amy Eisenberg says. “It was hard and there were sad times…These magical hands that provided healing were now out of his control. It evolved into a full-blown diagnosis, and we quickly saw a decline. He lost 50 pounds from the constant motion and could not sit in a chair without discomfort.”
In hopes of stabilizing his condition, Chuck Babbush went through a rigorous physical and emotional process for surgical evaluation for deep-brain stimulation (DBS) procedure by University Hospitals. After first being denied surgery, he did not give up hope and sought a second opinion.
“We told him, first and foremost this is
your journey and your decision to make,” Amy Eisenberg shares. “We support you either way and whatever you choose.”
In January 2023, he underwent a successful deep brain stimulation (DBS) procedure by University Hospitals. It uses electrical stimulation to block faulty electrical signals in the brain that control movement to ease Parkinson’s symptoms and decrease the amount of medicine needed. This is done by placing an electrode inside the brain that connects to a very small neurostimulator (electrical generator) implanted in the chest or abdomen.
“After the 7-hour DBS procedure, he went home the next day and thrived,” Amy Eisenberg says. “The medical team gave our father back to us. It is fascinating; he is like the bionic man with a new lease on life.”
“It was a great experience; the staff was fantastic,” Chuck Babbush says. “The feeling of being healthier, of being able to fend for yourself and not becoming more and more dependent on others to help you, that is a very key aspect…It’s not just stopping this ‘shake, rattle and roll’ as I call it, it is a matter of you being better and you’re pretty much whole again…”
Giving Back to Others
While the doctor may have become the patient, a caregiver never retires. As an extension of appreciation for their beloved care team and the desire to continue helping others, in March that same year Babbush and his wife, Sandy, created the Babbush Family Fun for Parkinson’s Education, Research and Innovation, which was started at University Hospital to maximize quality of life and improve outcomes for patients and families living with Parkinson’s by supporting training and education opportunities for neurology residents, fellows and faculty and by launching promising clinical research projects. Inspired by their father, Amy Eisenberg and her brothers Jeff and David Babbush thought, “How do we take the energy put into a career focused on improving health to make a difference for others walking this same path?” Papa’s Path was created (he is a proud Papa of nine grandchildren). Their annual 24-Hour Walk for Parkinson’s has raised more than $300,000 and features a weekend of free special programming. Jeff Babbush came up with the idea to walk for 24 consecutive hours to simulate the unrelenting motion of the Parkinson’s experience while bringing families together to support the cause. One of the most notable resources from Papa’s Path is the Steady Essential Toolbox to support independence.
“Having experienced firsthand how daunting it can be to tackle even the simplest daily tasks, my wish is to provide a boxed and tested collection of adapted aids — such as reach sticks, zipper pulls, pencil grippers and more — to make facing each day a bit more manageable,” Chuck Babbush says.
The Babbush family researched, purchased and tried various tools, but they wondered about underserved communities and individuals without the same access or caregiver support, Amy Eisenberg explains.
With help from University Hospitals and the Parkinson’s and Movement Disorder (PMD) Alliance, they organized a survey and gathered data from 300 individuals or their caregivers about the level of need and use of items in their home, from portable to permanent solutions. The resulting toolbox, which can be gifted or given by caregivers, is available in two sizes (a large collection of 14 tools or mini collection of six everyday essentials) for purchase from the Papa’s Path website or with hopes of it being in hospital gift shops, rehab facilities, online and sold nationally and internationally.
The elephant and path logo designs found on the kits hold special meaning. Amy Eisenberg describes painting as a hobby Papa revisited for therapeutic benefits that became a shared bonding experience with his grandkids. Using tape as a guide, he did not have to worry about coloring outside lines. The toolboxes has coloring elements for others to enjoy. Just as an elephant never stands alone, Papas Path is here for you.
Papa’s Path — To order a Steady Essentials Toolbox visit: papaspath.org or call 440-376-3869.
Cleveland Clinic Parkinson’s treatment
clevelandclinic.org/services/parkinsons-disease-treatment
University Hosptials Deep Brain Stimulation — To learn more about deep brain stimulation and the neurological conditions that it can treat, visit: uhhospitals.org/services/neurology-and-neurosurgery-services/conditions-and-treatments/deep-brain-stimulation/what-is-dbs
Parkinson’s News Today — Parkinson’s News Today, part of Bionews—the leading network for rare disease news and community support—features the latest research, clinical trials, expert opinions, columns, and more. In the column “The Bright Side,” Cleveland mother of three, Jamie Askari, shares her experiences as a wife and caregiver to her husband, Arman, who was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease in 2009 at the age of 38. Jamie, along with her sister and best friend, founded Parkinson’s Pals, which raised over half a million dollars in five years. Parkinson’s Pals eventually became part of InMotion and their annual fundraising event, Pals InMotion. “Your attitude can significantly influence how you handle a diagnosis,” Askari emphasizes. “We always choose happiness and focus on ‘the bright side,’ which is the name of her column (her husband named it).” To read the column, visit:
parkinsonsnewstoday.com/the-bright-side-jamie-askari/
InMotion of Beachwood — Offers free community-based wellness programs for people with Parkinson’s disease. The evidence-based healing arts, physical wellness, education, support and symptom-specific programs have been shown to slow Parkinson’s disease progression and help people live well. The 9th annual Pals in Motion fundraising event will take place Sept. 14, 2025, at Beachwood High School and includes a 5K walk and chip-timed 5K run, 1-mile family walk, obstacle course and 100-yard dash relay, and music & arts activities for kids and families. To explore classes and download a physician approval form, visit beinmotion.org, or contact Anielle Barden-Dancy at 216-342-5727 or abarden-dancy@beinmotion.org with questions.
