As Absecon based builder Dan Poley continues to navigate the challenges of Parkinson’s disease, he and his wife Donna are more determined than ever to be a part of the solution, to create awareness, and fund research for a cure.
For the third time, they are hosting a fun-filled gathering that has become a true community effort to end this disease that affects 1.1 million Americans. This year, the D.F. Poley Construction Company Golf Tournament & Banquet will be held at Seaview Country Club on October 15th. The tournament will once again be followed by a dinner, auction, live music, speakers and lots of prizes.
In 2022, its inaugural year, the event brought together many local friends and family,raising $30,000, then in 2024, it expanded, raising $70,000 and at the time of this writing, the upcoming event has already garnered $35,000 in sponsorships. Through the family’s foundation, the D & K Parkinson’s Research Foundation, all funds directly support the Michael J. Fox Foundation and its mission to fund results-driven scientific studies to eliminate Parkison’s disease as well as support development of better treatments to manage symptoms.
"What makes us so successful is that in rooms and on golf courses around the country, there are people coming together to support someone living with Parkinson's, like Dan," said Kate Harmon, Senior Community Fundraising Specialist for the Fox Foundation. "The science is waiting, and thanks to families like the Poleys and those who support them, we will cross the finish line when it comes to this disease.
Leaning into rays of hope
For Dan, the support from family and friends, and surrounding community, including all the volunteers that help make the event happen, are the silver lining in what’s been a tough road dealing with the diseases’s hallmark symptoms: the tremors, stiffness, along with numerous medications and their side effects. Most recently, he says the condition is impacting his speech, so he’s attending speech therapy sessions twice a week. However, what he struggles with the most is anxiety.
“It makes you want to crawl up in a hole sometimes and just bury your head, you know?” says Dan. “And that has never been like me. I always had tons of energy, but now, some days, I have to drag myself out of bed to do things.”
Donna says the mental and emotional side of Parkinson’s has been very difficult.
“I think this is what a lot of people don’t realize,” she says. “It’s not the part of Parkinson’s disease that gets a lot of attention and we are really trying to bring awareness to this piece of it.”
Dan noted that very few Parkinson’s programs in health centers have specialized mental health services built into the program, and that having these services become more integral, and provided by people with specialized training in Parkinson’s could really make a difference in someone’s life.
It’s been about three years since Dan underwent Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. With this procedure, which was performed robotically, very thin wires are implanted into movement control areas of the brain to interrupt the irregular activity that leads to tremors. The procedure was successful and he is still experiencing the benefit of substantially reduced tremors.
“My tremors were knocked back by about 75% and medications have been knocked back by 50%,” Dan says.
Recognizing the symptoms
Dan initially became aware of his Parkinson’s disease symptoms back in 2018. He remembers driving to a job site in Ocean City and noticing that his left hand was shaking as he held the steering wheel. He began having periodic episodes of shaking and stiffness that continued to progress all along his left side only. He also noticed that he had lost his sense of smell. He later learned that loss of smell is often one of the earliest signs of the disease.
After looking online, Dan says he diagnosed himself, delayed seeing a doctor for months and did everything he could to hide his symptoms, in part, because he was self-conscious about it, and also, he wanted to wait until after his son’s upcoming wedding to tell his family.
A few weeks after the wedding, Dan told Donna while she was heading off to work, “I’m going to the doctor,” he said, "I have Parkinson’s disease.”
The news stopped Donna in her tracks, and that day kicked off a search for the right medical team. Dan was officially diagnosed in 2019 and was put on medicine that kept his tremors at bay. But as time went on, and his medication needs increased, he began looking at more advanced treatments, including DBS.
“I’ve come to terms with the fact that feeling normal no longer exists,” Dan says. “It’s not horribly different, but it’s not normal, it’s a new normal and you have to get used to it.”
The power of a support network
Embracing his new normal didn’t happen overnight. Dan credits the love and unwavering support from his entire family, especially Donna and his kids Dan and Kelsey and their spouses Jessie and Nick – who have proven to be "a force" as he has navigated the ups and downs of his journey. They have been right there with him, he says, encouraging him through every step. He's met remarkable individuals who have Parkinson’s, as well as others who actively pursue finding a cure that have been his North Star. He's had support from lifelong friends and new friends with Parkinson’s who can relate to what he is going through.
“We check on each other after doctors appointments, share stories with each other; we lean on each other and do whatever we can to help each other,” Dan says. One friend in particular helped him shape his perspective.
“He explained to me that you can still have a life. You just have to accept where you are and deal with the things you have to deal with, instead of letting them stop you,” Dan says. "He showed me that whatever it is you want to do, you just have to get back up and do it.”
Join us October 15, 2026
For more information and to purchase tickets for the event held at Seaview in Galloway on October 15, 2026. Please use the link below.
