Founding Story

From a family of independent, professionally-minded women…

My name is Dr Shanthipriya and I come from a family of doctors… my maternal grandmother and mother were independent, strong women who were trailblazers of their times. Growing up in this atmosphere made me believe anything is possible with hard work and dedication. Both my grandparents and parents being in the medical field, I was naturally inclined to the same from an early age and completed my Masters in Medicine (MBBS), specializing in ophthalmology at the Madras Medical College, Chennai, India.

Early, blissful married life…

Eventually I started my own practice and later joined a corporate hospital for few years. The medical legacy in my family continues with next the generations as well with me marrying my college sweetheart who is a leading laparoscopic surgeon and our son now in the final year of med school

YOPD? Initial shock and living in denial…

A few years back my husband noticed the abnormal positioning of my right arm and insisted on a few of tests, leading to many rounds of exams by specialists and was eventually diagnosed as Parkinson’s (PD)…I learnt that while PD is more common amongst senior citizens (above 60 yrs), it also sometimes affected those below 60 (YOPD – Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease). I was a YOPD patient! At first, it was very devastating and I withdrew into a shell. Being at the peak of my career, family life with kids, social life etc. it felt like the end of my perfect life. I was 36 when diagnosed and now 44

Acceptance and fighting PD and getting my life back…

With sheer determination & grit, I decided to overcome this adversity & started living life to the fullest. I truly believe that it’s not just what we say or think but what we DO which actually defines us.

After reading that exercise slows progression of PD, I followed a dedicated fitness regime and have tried….. Pilates, Zumba, Dancing, HIIT, my latest craze being Spinning and this keeps me fit physically & mentally.

Feeling empowered – the moment of epiphany…”Shake_off_and_move_on”

As a first step towards sharing this with the world, I shared my thoughts and personal experiences on social media.. Facebook, Instagram etc. I also wanted to inspire & motivate other people in similar situations to get motivated & start living a full life too; to create awareness, give more information to their friends & families, so they can help & support their loved ones in the best possible way. What best to name it than what I actually did… SHAKE OFF & MOVE ON…

Rock solid family support…

My family & friends (who are my extended family) are my strength & support system. In spite of being fully aware of the condition, their acceptance of me in their lives hasn’t changed at all. My husband is my rock, from diagnosis through treatment & my varied social enterprises he has stood by me through it all and without his encouragement none of my endeavors or achievements would have been possible.

Birth of SAAR – wanting to Make a Difference and Give Back to Society…

In September 2018 I stumbled upon an opportunity to take part in an international pageant for married women, a 4-day event held in Singapore with many competitive rounds. This was not in my comfort zone as I was naturally shy and introverted. I put in a lot of hard work and dedication while preparing for the event and, during the process, rediscovered myself, my strength & weakness and became the strong and confident woman that I am now.

With the spirit of giving back to society, I decided to start a foundation, which would be the vehicle to institutionalize and consolidate all of my initiatives intended to help patients with PD and other neurological diseases – thus SAAR was born