Mark is one of the four Founders of Find Neuro Help.  As a Parkinson’s patient, he is passionate about the Find Neuro Help mission.  Mark also has a history of volunteerism.  In January 1977, while still a teenager, he volunteered to leave his home in sunny Southern California to serve for two years as a full-time missionary in the significantly colder climate of Scotland and Northern Ireland, during a period of that country’s intense civil unrest.  Of serving others while as a missionary Mark says,

“The greatest lesson I learned about serving my fellow man is the more I help others, the happier I am, and the greater my sense of identity and purpose can become. I also learned that by giving of myself to others had the effect of lifting me above my doubt, worry, and potholes of despair, to a higher plane of thought.  Simply put, by losing myself in serving others, I found my true self.”

While serving the wonderful people of Scotland and Northern Ireland, Mark began to form what became his top four credos of life.  First, “The only constant is change.  Embrace it.”  Second, “If you think things can’t get worse, you’re wrong.  Endure it.”  Third, “Control is an illusion.  Let go of it.”  And fourth, “Life isn’t always fair.  Accept it.”  As fate would have it, these four concepts along with his undying faith in a loving God, have been a source of strength for him as he has dealt with the challenges of Parkinson’s disease.  Mark provides a unique perspective to the Find Neuro Help Leadership Team.  He is intimately aware of the challenges an individual and family face when dealing with neurological disease diagnosis.

Professionally, Mark has had a very successful career in the relocation industry since January 1980.  During his over 3 decades of experience in the relocation industry, he leveraged his passion for learning to become a Certified Relocation Professional (C.R.P.), of which there are less than 200 in the U.S.  He is also a licensed California Real Estate Broker (R.E.B.).  In addition, his dedication to client satisfaction resulted in him becoming a 5-time member of the United Van Lines Masters Club, a distinction that put him in the top 5% of his peers nationwide.

Over the course of his career, it has been estimated that Mark has relocated more than 15,000 families from and to all points in the United State and overseas.

In his personal life, Mark enjoys spending time with his family, cycling, overseas travel, reading, and furthering public awareness of Neurological Diseases.  He is the author of the book, “Peace with Parkinson’s – It’s Called a Resting Tremor, not an Earthquake”, available on Amazon.com.  All proceeds from the sale of this book are distributed to individuals with neuro-diseases. Click here to purchase or donate a copy to a loved one in need of a new perspective.  Mark is currently working on his second book; the title is yet to be announced and is expected to be published soon.

Why Find Neuro Help?  Mark’s back-story.

Shortly following his 48th birthday, Mark noticed an unusual physiological change occurring in his right-hand pinky finger as it developed an almost unnoticeable quiver.  He observed that it became more pronounced when he conducted a meeting or gave a talk in church.  “Speaking in front of groups with a few hundred members might seem like enough to make anyone’s hands shake, but only his right hand was affected.”  He told himself that this must be due to a pinched nerve or spinal irregularity.

This unique event prompted him to make an appointment post-haste to see his general MD. His recommendation was that he meet with a neurologist.  The neurologist performed a series of tests that included electro-analysis and observing him walking down a hallway. He then invited Mark to have a seat, undoubtedly a safety protocol for the news he was about to deliver.  Mr. Colo, I believe the symptoms you are experiencing are pre-Parkinsonian.

Mark left the neurologist’s office in a daze of disbelief.  When he left the doctor’s office he thought, “Did that really just happen?” or, “Am I dreaming?” As he walked out the front door of the hospital that morning, he felt as though the weight of the world had just been placed upon his shoulders. Profound sadness and a degree of bitterness for this added burden that had been handed to him began pervaded his thoughts.  His mind began spinning to the past in search of answers, and into the future imagining what his life would be like.  Loneliness, fear, and doubt began to creep into his thoughts.  This was, without exception, the greatest blow to his peace of mind and sense of self-worth that he had ever experienced.  He was completely unprepared for the news he received that day.  He felt as if he was in a downward spiral with no one to catch, lift, or console him. In time, the answers and coping mechanisms he so desperately needed at that moment did come.

This and other similar experiences are what compelled him to co-found Find Neuro Help and write the book “Peace With Parkinson’s, it’s called a resting tremor, not an Earthquake”.  Mark’s lifetime commitment is to bring hope to others affected by chronic neurological diseases.