Absecon based builder Dan Poley has long been in the business of working around obstacles. For more than 30 years, his firm, D.F. Poley Construction has built eye-catching luxury custom homes all along Absecon Island—from concept to polished completion – fulfilling the dreams of his clients. Now he is setting his sights on a new kind of vision – helping to find a cure for Parkinson’s disease and helping others who are living with the condition.
Dan knows all too well what it is like to live with the limitations posed by Parkinson’s. He has dealt with its day-to-day challenges since 2018. It was during that year that he first noticed symptoms. 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.
A rocky path toward healing
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 his wife 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. In 2023, exactly one year ago, Dan underwent Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) at Jefferson 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.
“Since having DBS, my tremors have been knocked back by about 75% and my medications have been knocked back by 50%,” Dan says. adding that the hardest part, was experiencing medication withdrawal symptoms that he wasn’t warned about, and he still has challenges finding the right balance of medicines. But all in all, the procedure has been a success and his symptoms have improved.
“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 his wife Donna, and his kids Dan and Kelsey – 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.”
Joining the fight to find a cure and help others
And what Dan wants to do now, is to pay it forward. So, in 2022, he and his family initiated the inaugural D. F. Poley Construction Golf Tournament and Banquet Dinner benefitting Parkinson’s disease. That event raised $30,000 for his family’s foundation, D & K Parkinson’s Research Foundation, that directly supports the Michael J. Fox Foundation. (D and K for son Dan and daughter Kelsey, who are both actively involved in the effort.) Donna says they chose to donate all proceeds to the Fox Foundation because the beloved actor who founded the organization after being diagnosed with Parkinson's at age 29, has done so much to galvanize the Parkinson’s community and fund promising scientific research. To date, the Fox Foundation has funded more than $2 billion in research programs.
This year, the golf tournament is being held at Seaview in Galloway on October 17. The tournament will once again be followed by a dinner banquet. This year’s goal is to raise $60,000, double what was raised the last time. So far, more than $40,000 has been raised in sponsorships alone. Donna strongly encourages folks who don’t play golf to attend the dinner, as she promises lots of fun will be had, including live music, with local musician Tony Pontari, games, auction items and lots of prizes.
“We have about 20 people on our committee that have done so much and we know a lot of people who want to help,” says Donna. “I’m very proud of everybody involved with it, and I just want it to grow and do better every year.”
To purchase tickets for the golf tournament, the banquet dinner, or both visit https://dkpdresearch.com/#tickets. You also have the option of making a donation.
