Michel, 68, is now retired after a career in sales, logistics, and supply chain management. Single, he is the father of two daughters, who are themselves mothers of two and one daughters respectively, making him the happy grandfather of three granddaughters. Since retiring, Michel has enthusiastically taken up running again, with the main goal of enjoying himself while taking part in various races, including half marathons such as the Brussels Half Marathon in 2024 and 2025, as well as the Ghent Half Marathon scheduled for March 29. He also has a true passion for the mountains, especially in summer. Like last year, he has booked a week-long hiking trip in July, which will allow him to discover the famous Tour du Mont-Blanc.
Volunteer experience: Assisting with registration and participant management for ‘Run, or Walk, for Parkinson’ during the Brussels 20 kms.
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How do you support the Demoucelle Parkinson Charity?
I chose to help with the administrative aspects of DPC and contribute in particular to processing registrations for the Brussels 20 kms. The time I dedicate to this varies depending on the workload and my personal commitments. At the moment, while I am still learning the specifics of the process, it amounts to around ten hours per week (unevenly distributed throughout the week). I have the pleasure of working directly with Anne-Marie, Nikla and Bénédicte and benefiting from their experience from previous years. I have nothing but positive things to say because since I started in this role, I feel listened to and supported, notably through meetings that I requested to deepen my understanding of what is certainly a complex task.
Why did you choose to support research to find a cure for Parkinson’s disease?
This is my first experience with volunteering and it results from a personal encounter. I met Anne-Marie and Patrick through the Solvay Business Schools’ Alumni network: Patrick and Anne-Marie organised “fireside chats” where personalities from the worlds of business and education helped us reflect on our own journeys, among other things to learn from our failures and develop our full potential.
What advice would you give to others who would like to organise an initiative to support Parkinson’s disease research?
Without hesitation, I would advise them to get in touch with Patrick and Anne-Marie to learn about the DPC project as well as the initiatives already undertaken and currently underway, so that they can continue to innovate and capture available attention and energy. “Unity makes us stronger,” is this not Belgium’s motto?
What is your favourite motto to guide your life?
I don’t know whether it is something I made up myself or have unknowingly borrowed from someone else, but I often say:
“Health is a treasure we fail to appreciate.”
Unfortunately, it is often only when we lose it that we realise how much we should have cherished it.