Sports 
A local woman is using her love of triathlons in the fight against Parkinson’s disease.
Lisa Wourms of Camas has been participating in sprint, Olympic and half iron distance races since 2006. She started out with a mountain bike and swimming in the pool, and has since progressed to qualifying for the elite Ironman 70.3 World Championships twice.
Wourms, 47, has fought through pain, fatigue and nausea to accomplish her goals. But now she is fighting a new battle.
In 2013, her mother, Peggy Blakeley, 71, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. Blakeley’s condition quickly deteriorated into hallucinations, lack of independent mobility and the inability to communicate.
“Parkinson’s disease dementia has stolen my mother from me and my family,” Wourms said. “I’ve been frustrated watching as this disease slowly takes her away from us and felt helpless to do anything about it. I finally found a way to contribute through my passion for triathlons, and have decided to use my racing as a way to bring awareness to this disease.”
