>>> PARKINSON'S DISEASE EFFECTS
1 MILLION PEOPLE IN AMERICA
ALONE AND MILLIONS MORE AROUND
THE WORLD.
THE TWO MOST VISIBLE FACES HAVE
BEEN MICHAEL J. FOX WHO WAS
DIAGNOSED AT THE AGE OF 29 AND
THE LATE GREAT MUHAMMAD ALI.
JOE FRIAR FINDS ONE OF THE
TREATMENTS FOR PARKINSON'S IS
THE SPORT WHERE ALI SHOOK UP THE
WORLD WITH.
>> Reporter: ONE LOOK AT THE
UNLIKELY BAND OF WARRIORS IN
THIS RING IT IS CLEAR SOMETIMES
BOXERS FIGHT MORE THAN EACH
OTHER.
>> THIS TO ME IS LITERAL.
WHEN I'M HITTING IT JUST FEELS
GREAT.
IT FEELS LIKE I'M REALLY
FIGHTING BACK AGAINST PARKINSON.
>> Reporter: A NEUROLOGICAL
DISEASE WITH NO CURE THAT COULD
LEAD TO STIFFNESS, TREMORS,
SYMPTOMS THAT MIGHT SEEM AT ODDS
WITH A SPORT LIKE THIS BUT
SUZANNE SAYS THE MOMENT SHE
STEPPED IN THE RING BOXING
HELPED HER GET OFF THE ROPES
SKBMPT THERE I LOVED IT.
I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BUT
HITTING A BAG JUST FELT REAL,
TANGIBLE.
I WAS FIGHTING BACK AND IT WAS
AWESOME.
>> Reporter: PROGRAMS LIKE THIS
HAVE POPPED UP ACROSS THE
COUNTRY BUT SUZANNE STRUGGLED TO
FIND SOMETHING NEARBY UNTIL
SOMEONE POINTED HER TO BRETT
SUMMERS.
>> I SAID I WILL DO IT.
SHE WAS LIKE REALLY?
YOU ARE GOING TO DO IT?
I WAS LIKE I WILL DO IT.
>> Reporter: A FORMER CHAMPION
LATER TURNED PRO HE TRAINS
BALKERS AT HIS GYM.
THREE MORNINGS A WEEK REE LEADS
A CLASS WITH THOSE WITH
PARKINSON'S.
>> DO YOU TAKE IT EASY ON THEM?
>> NO.
NO ONE TOOK IT EASY ON ME AS A
KID.
>> Reporter: THERE IS NO CONTACT
HERE BUT SUZANNE'S DOCTOR SAYS
MOVEMENT LIKE THIS CAN HELP SLOW
THE DISEASE.
>> AN AEROBIC EXERCISE, ACTIVE,
WORKING ON BALANCE, FORWARDS,
BACKWARDS, CHALLENGING THE
SYMPTOMS THAT AREN'T WORKING
QUITE SO WELL.
>> Reporter: FOR SUZANNE THAT
MEANS MORE MOBILITY WHILE TAKING
LESS MEDICATIONS.
SHE CAN'T THANK BRETT ENOUGH.
>> HE IS MY HERO.
HE HAS COME TO OUR RESCUE.
>> HE CAN CERTAINLY SEE THE
CHANGE IN CAMPBELL WHO DIAGNOSED
WITH PARKINSON'S LAST YEAR WAS
TOLD HE COULD NO LONGER WALK
BACKWARD.
>> YOU HAVE NO REVERSE.
>> NOW BACKWARD IS A HUGE STEP
FORWARD.
>> I'M DOING BETTER.
I COULDN'T DO IT AT ALL BEFORE.
SO SOMETHING IS HELPING.
>> ISN'T JUST A BOXING STUDENT.
HE IS BRETT'S UNCLE.
>> THAT'S ALL YOU GOT.
>> Reporter: A CONNECTION THAT
MIGHT EXPLAIN WHY THE TOUGH GUY
PART OF BRETT IS SO EASILY --
>> FEELS GOOD.
I ALWAYS GET THIS WAY.
>> YOU'RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE,
RIGHT?
>> DEFINITELY MAKING A
DIFFERENCE.
DEFINITELY.
>> A CHAMPION WHO IS IN THEIR
CORNER EVERY ROUND OF THIS
FIGHT.
FOR "SUNDAY TODAY" ARLINGTON,
WASHINGTON MPT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THIS WEEK WE HIGHLIGHT ANOTHER
LIFE WELL LIVED.
IN 1966 THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN VARSITY
BASKETBALL PLAYER IN THE
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE WHICH
STRETCHED ACROSS THE SOUTH.
THE NEXT YEAR PERRY WALLACE
BECAME THE FIRST.
WALLACE WAS A STAR AT
NASHVILLE'S ALL BLACK PEARL HIGH
SCHOOL WHERE HIS TEAM WON A
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP AND HE WAS
