Impact Stories

"My name is Phil Hornig. I'm 67 years old and have been living with Parkinson's for 14 years.

I learned about "Table Tennis for Life" from other members of the Tri-Valley PD Support Group. I played a little table tennis in my college dorm over 45 years ago but haven't picked up a paddle since then.

I'm finding that table tennis is a great way to improve eye-hand coordination, reaction time, quick movements, and balance. Participating in the 90-minute "Table Tennis for Life" sessions with my wife is both fun and an excellent way to counter the decline in motor skills that is inevitable with Parkinson's.

In addition to being incredibly talented table tennis players, Tanvi and Aarav are excellent coaches who show incredible patience. The atmosphere at "Table Tennis for Life" sessions is fun, supportive, and motivating. I truly appreciate the tremendous effort the Desai children and their parents have made to create such a valuable resource for the Parkinson's community."

Phil Hornig

"Parkinson's Disease is a neurodegenerative disease. This means that the symptoms result from changes in the brain, and the symptoms get worse with time. Exercise is the most beneficial treatment currently available. PD symptoms vary between individuals. Two of my symptoms are an involuntary tremor or shakiness of my right hand and arm. I also suffer from a slowness in my ability to move around.

As a kid, I grew up playing recreational ping pong but stopped playing in my teens. Now almost 70, I have recently begun to play again under the tutelage of Tanvi and Aarav Desai, the founders of Table Tennis for Life. They are fabulous instructors and nationally-ranked table tennis players. There is something disarming about taking instruction from two enthusiastic players barely in their teens.

Playing with Tanvi, Aarav, and the other players with PD has been both challenging and rewarding. There is so much happening in the sport of table tennis. Speed of the ball. Spin on the ball. Direction and arc of the ball. These elements require quick assessment, quick reaction, and quick movement. It takes quite an effort. For me, the 90-minute lessons are a workout. Of course, one of the beautiful aspects of table tennis is that you can begin playing at any skill level and improve from there.

I'm confident that Table Tennis for Life will help me to improve my physical and cognitive skills while playing a fun game and enjoying the camaraderie of my fellow PD players.

Thank you Aarav, Tanvi and 'Table Tennis For Life'!"

Christopher J. Brophy Ph.D., CPHQ

"I'm Lorie. I am 74 from Danville, CA. My husband Chris attended a 'Table Tennis for Life' class and had such a good time that I was encouraged to join him and give it a try. I do NOT like sports that require good eye-hand coordination, so I was skeptical and reluctant. However, I had such a positive experience that I'll be back! Don't let the ages of Tanvi and Aarav fool you. They are excellent teachers and really know how to be encouraging and patient when dealing with a wide range of skill levels. Being in the fitness industry myself, I see table tennis as an excellent activity for people with Parkinson's in terms of balance, agility, range of motion, reaction, and concentration. And the Desai family makes it fun! I encourage people with Parkinson's, as well as their CarePartners, to give it a try."

Lorie McGuinness

”My name is Pamela. I have lived with my husband, Jerry, in Pleasanton for 14 years. I am a retired RN and have worked in four states, having lived on the East Coast, Central Plains, and West Coast.

Several years ago, I was diagnosed with essential tremor, an action tremor that occurs when using my hand, such as when writing, carrying dishes, or holding a paddle. Last year, I was also diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which causes resting tremors when the body is at rest. In addition, I experience double vision as a side effect of medication when objects are nearby. These medical conditions affect my ability to participate in sports.

My husband, Jerry, and I have been participating in a table tennis group for Parkinson's disease for about two months. The group meets weekly for 90 minutes, and we have a dedicated group of participants. The group is organized by Mahesh Desai, along with his talented children, Tanvi and Aarav, who serve as our coaches. Both Tanvi and Aarav have successfully competed nationally and internationally in table tennis competitions.

I enjoy this group for the benefits of physical health and mental health. A safe place has been created where I can forget about health, tremors, and medication effectiveness. Whether I connect with the ball or miss, it's all okay. I eagerly look forward to our sessions in part as I am with others with identical or similar diagnoses and socializing with other participants. I especially feel a sense of community when we play games.

The most delightful benefit has been getting to know and learn from Aarav and Tanvi. As instructors, they are kind, consistent, and supportive. I have many years of bad habits to unlearn, but neither of our coaches give up, and they are consistent in their feedback and praise. They are dedicated instructors who put in the effort for each of us to improve and have fun. Despite their busy schedules, it is important to them that this group continues to meet weekly.

We encourage other Table Tennis aficionados to come play with us. If you do, you will see how table tennis improves the quality of life for active senior citizens who want to remain active.

My heart is full of gratitude for the Desai family and all they have done to make this group possible. Special thanks to Aarav and Tanvi for their kind instructions.

Thank you to Table Tennis for Life!”

Pamala Sandbrink

”My name is Mark Lipshutz. I am 66 years old, and I have Parkinson’s Disease. I received a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from UC Berkeley and a Master’s Degree from California State University Northridge in Chemical Engineering and Material Science. I worked as a Medical Device Engineer in Silicon Valley. I used to be very active playing sports, but have not been able to do much, as Parkinson’s has developed.

I went to the Pleasanton meeting for the Tri-Valley PD Support Group, and Mahesh Desai announced a table tennis program for people with PD called 'Table Tennis For Life'. I love table tennis and thought it would be fun to play with other PD people and their significant others. And I’m so glad that I did it! Mahesh is the organizer, and his two children, Tanvi, 13, and Aarav, 11, are the instructors. They lead us with warm-ups and stretching exercises. After that, we do drills for a few minutes. Then, we practice our forehands and backhands with Tanvi and Aarav, giving some one-on-one pointers about techniques, like at what angle to hold the paddle and what motion to move your arm. Then, we play short games, with the winners moving one way along the tables and the losers moving in the opposite direction. And at the end, a final short stretching before we leave. This program has helped me become more physically active, improving my mental well-being and giving me more social connections.

It has also been fun to follow Tanvi and Aarav during their Table Tennis tournaments with the US National Table Tennis Team they have been attending. It is really amazing how good they are at Table Tennis, even sometimes playing up an age group.

This excellent program is helping me to be more active and gives me the feeling that I can still play a sport well. And that I can play table tennis without feeling restricted by Parkinson’s. It feels like I win this round, but the ugly PD loses this round. It’s really a great way to spend a couple of hours, and I really appreciate what Mahesh, Tanvi, and Aarav are doing to help people with Parkinson’s. The group is a really nice group of people who are enjoying the program and the time together.

I believe that the whole Desai family has done so much to help people with Parkinson’s and I want to thank them for making the program such a success. Now, we are moving towards having sessions twice a week, which will help everyone get more out of the 'Table Tennis For Life' program now and in the future. I encourage everyone with Parkinson’s to participate if they have the desire or interest to play Table Tennis.”

Mark Lipshutz

"'Table Tennis for Life'! What an inspirational title!! Please read on …..

My name is Rajesh Shah. A few years back I retired from my 40-year long career as an Inpatient (hospital-based) Pharmacist. I was truly enjoying my work, but I retired a few years earlier than I had initially planned as my wife was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease for the past 5+ years, which was progressive, as expected.

During one of our local Parkinson's Disease Support Group meetings, we came across a flyer from the Desai family describing their children's involvement with the game of table tennis, wherein they had played and won many championship awards at the US National Level. The flyer also described the children's desire to help people living with Parkinson's with their movement disorders and challenges with the game of table tennis. We had heard of many other programs for Parkinson's patients, but not Table Tennis. With my healthcare background, I immediately felt that this should absolutely help and would be a super fun way to accomplish movement disorders-related goals compared to some other boring and mundane activities.

For the past two months, we have been attending weekly coaching sessions for table tennis by the amazing Desai children, Tanvi and Aarav, and their highly supportive parents, Mahesh and Varsha Desai. Tanvi and Aarav, ages 13 and 11, are middle school students who are significantly advanced table tennis players. Despite their young, playful age and being at the highest level in table tennis, they are keenly interested in coaching folks like us who are just true beginners. What is even more amazing is their patience with us. Their love for this game and unconditional willingness to coach us in the skills of the game make them true leaders for such a devoted community service with a mission. My wife and I are thoroughly enjoying our table tennis sessions and are highly motivated to learn from the masters of the game!

All aspects of the game, such as quick moves, quick thinking/reacting, and hand-eye coordination, have helped us with whole-body movements, making us feel more physically fit. We have looked forward to each and every session that is 90 minutes long with little time wasted. We are getting better, slowly but surely, with our motor skills and cognitive functions, and we feel better physically and mentally. This activity also helps us interact with others facing similar challenges; best of all, it provides us with much-needed stress relief and fun. We highly appreciate Tanvi, Aarav, and the entire Desai family for their time and dedication for such a program. With the help of their highly supportive parents, Tanvi and Aarav have embarked on a mission to help seniors, especially Parkinson's sufferers, and have received enthusiastic support from other highly advanced table tennis players. With that, an organization, 'Table Tennis for Life', has started taking shape. We are so proud that we are participating in the activities of 'Table Tennis for Life' right from its seedling phase and benefitting from it. Our heartfelt thanks to Tanvi and Aarav for sharing their love for the game of Table Tennis with us, and big thanks to their parents, Mahesh and Varsha Desai, for guiding their children in such a noble initiative.

We wish them all the best for the launch of 'Table Tennis for Life'! Such activities will surely benefit seniors and Parkinson's Disease patients like us for years to come!"

Rajesh Shah

"My name is Gita Shah. I am 70, in generally fairly good health overall, except that around the end of 2017, I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. As you may already know, this is a disease with no cure. During the past 5-6 years, I have come to understand the challenges that I will face as my disease progresses. Many of the symptoms I am experiencing now include tremors, rigidity, fatigue, sleep, mobility, and balance issues. I recently learned about an initiative called 'Table Tennis for Life' when my husband and I attended a local Parkinson's Support Group Meeting. It was even more surprising that this initiative was launched by two children, Tanvi and Aarav, who are so advanced in this game that they are competing and winning at the US national level. For the past couple of months, my husband and I have been attending table tennis coaching done by Tanvi and Aarav, who are only 13 and 11, respectively. Hats off to their parents, Mahesh and Varsha Desai, who are so thrilled and supportive of the children's involvement in such a noble cause. Collectively, they have put so much thought and energy behind it that other table tennis players and coaches have come forward and have expressed their desire to help out seniors, especially the ones challenged by the devastating Parkinson's Disease, with the game of table tennis.

An organization called 'Table Tennis for Life' has been created to advance such a noble initiative and provide a structure. We have no doubt that this mission will be highly successful and rewarding for everyone. We are so glad that we are among the very first beneficiaries thereof. During just a short time of being involved with 'Table Tennis for Life', we have significantly benefitted in terms of how we feel physically, mentally, and cognitively. Learning from such advanced-level table tennis players, Tanvi and Aarav, has blessed us as we are just true beginners. Playing under their guidance and improving upon how we advance our skills in the game has offered us true stress relief. This activity also allows us to socially mingle and play with other Parkinson's Disease folks facing similar challenges.

The natural course of Parkinson's disease causes patients to exhibit smaller, literally shrunken, bodily movements in simple daily activities like walking, sitting, turning, moving things around, cooking, etc. Lack of proper sleep and energy and constant fatigue tend to make patients feel like they are in a cocoon, with all activities performed with severely restricted movements. Now, during each 90-minute table tennis session, we are constantly moving and engaging our entire bodies while improving our hand-to-eye coordination. This is a much-needed activity for people living with Parkinson's, and it is fun! Our sincere and heartfelt thanks to Tanvi and Aarav for embarking upon this great cause and sharing their love for the game of table tennis. We are truly thankful for their dedication and patience with us during coaching despite their advanced level of playing and despite being so young. We are also grateful to their parents for facilitating and coordinating everything needed to fulfill the 'Table Tennis for Life' mission.

We wish all the best for the 'Table Tennis for Life' mission!"

Gita Shah

"My name is Jerry Sandbrink. My wife Pam and I have been attending the table tennis initiative 'Table Tennis For Life', initiated by Tanvi and Aarav, for two months. Pam's Parkinson's symptoms seem to have improved noticeably during this time, and we are both very grateful for the time and effort Mahesh and his family have put in. His daughter Tanvi and son Aarav are both very good coaches, and both display huge amounts of patience with two beginners."

Jerry Sandbrink

"My name is Beth D., and I'm 77 years old. Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in table tennis classes led by Tanvi and Aarav, both members of the national table tennis team. My Saturday mornings are now filled with the excitement of playing this fast-paced game alongside Tanvi, Aarav, and other participants.

Both Tanvi and Aarav offer guidance and one-on-one instruction with patience and a great sense of humor. For me, table tennis provides not only a good aerobic workout but has also improved my balance and hand-eye coordination—and it's fun!

It's a pleasure to spend my Saturday mornings practicing table tennis with the entire group. The 'Table Tennis for Life' initiative has truly made a positive impact on my life, helping me manage the effects of Parkinson's and enhancing my overall well-being."

Beth D.

"My name is Craig D., and I'm 75 years old. Despite not having played table tennis for 50 years, I was a bit apprehensive about my ability to keep up with others. However, the 'Table Tennis for Life' program has proven to be a non-stressful environment that offers not only great exercise but also meaningful social interaction with the coaches and fellow players.

The class starts with basic warm-up exercises led by Tanvi and Aarav, two young members of the national table tennis organization who recently placed 1st and 2nd in a national competition. Once we're warmed up, we pair off to practice different aspects of the game, ending with a friendly competition.

Thanks to this program, my overall game has improved significantly, and I've noticed better balance and stamina. It's an excellent program for people with Parkinson's and their care partners. I attend to support my wife as a care partner, and the impact 'Table Tennis for Life' has had on both of our lives has been truly transformative."

Craig D.

"Tanvi and Aarav Desai have generously given their time and talent once a week this summer to give back by volunteering at Ping Pong for Good, a program dedicated to supporting people with neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson's Disease. As junior coaches, they added enormously to the quality and enjoyment of the sessions and enabled us to improve our skills by providing one-to-one consistency and coaching.

Ping Pong for Good is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving quality of life through the transformative power of ping pong. Ping pong provides many benefits, such as increasing agility, coordination, balance, mental acuity, and the opportunity for fun and playful socialization.

I will undoubtedly miss their bright smiles, abundant energy, enthusiasm, and skill."

Cherry Tuck

"I am Karen Yuen, and I have joined Ping Pong for Good as a caretaker of a family member with Parkinson's Disease. PD is a degenerative disease with no cure, and while most patients are diagnosed later in life, about 10-20% are diagnosed before 50 years old (Young Onset Parkinson's Disease). In our case, YOPD was diagnosed at 45 yr old. As you can imagine, this debilitating disease significantly affects a young, active individual more than just physically. With time, it slows the cognitive functions and other less apparent symptoms progress. Patients become apathetic, affecting their self-esteem and emotional well-being. Ping Pong for Good is one of the few PD-based programs that allows patients with PD to feel "normal" in a relatively active exercise program.

We are so thrilled that Tanvi and Aarav chose to volunteer at our class. Immediately, they brought joy and smiles to everyone's faces. Their energy and enthusiasm are contagious to this group of very slow, subdued PD patients. As a caretaker, I observed a difference in the participants' demeanor. They are motivated to come to class, look forward to engaging, and be in the presence of these young individuals, which seems to revitalize their mind and body. Tanvi and Aarav selflessly took time away from playing ping-pong with their friends and kids their age and happily helped these much older, slow, barely able-to-move Parkinson's patients. It is evident that Tanvi and Aarav are talented and have worked hard to become an excellent ping-pong players. However, it is more impressive that Tanvi and Aarav are patient and kind and treat everyone respectfully. One can see that they are genuinely passionate about helping, regardless if it's tirelessly feeding the balls to someone who has minimal control of their motions, helping someone to their chair for a rest, or simply being them "be happy" self by providing conversation and laughter. Hypomimia (or stone face, facial masking) is a common symptom of PD when a lack of dopamine in the brain prevents facial muscles from working correctly, resulting in rigid or slow facial movements that make it difficult to express emotions. This has not curtailed Tanvi and Aarav's passion and warmth for engaging with our group. They were having fun and enjoying the experience as much as the PD participants. Their commitment and kindness are undeniable. We are grateful to have met Tanvi and Aarav. They brought a glimpse of sunshine on otherwise cloudy days!"

Karen Yuen

"My name is Walter Chang. I am a graduate of Stanford University's Graduate School of Business and the Treasurer of Seagate Technology. I play ping pong at Ping Pong for Good due to my Parkinson's Disease diagnosis, as there is evidence of delayed progression of the disease when playing. This is where I met Aarav and Tanvi Desai. In the short time they have volunteered there, they have been instrumental in helping me and the rest of the group challenge. They also encourage us to maintain consistency in participating by making each time we play more enjoyable. By their passion and dedication to people with Parkinson's disease, they have improved the lives of those afflicted."

Walter Chang