Tim and his son Tim Jr. applied for, competed in, and subsequently won the first season of The Amazing Race Canada. This incredible journey has had an indelible impact on Tim’s life. Having been the first person with Parkinson’s to ever run and win The Amazing Race Canada, Tim has been thrust into the spotlight as an advocate for Parkinson’s. This is a role that he has embraced and continues to use to educate and raise resources toward the work of finding a cure and helping individuals living with Parkinson’s to live their best.

Winning The Amazing Race has also created the opportunity for Tim to speak to thousands across Canada and the U.S. encouraging them to ‘Live Your Best’. This message is wrapped in the idea of having the Strength to do your best, the Courage to be content with what your best produces, and the will to Persevere. Tim has shared his message of living and excelling through adversity with small and large audiences from the schoolroom to the boardroom. Tim’s message is personal, powerful and moves beyond the mere ‘fluff’ of the typical motivational speech and teaches how to prevail and overcome life’s struggles.

Tim brings a rich mix of attributes and history to his storytelling. Having been born in Texas Tim was adopted and grew up in the State of Kansas. At the age of 25, Tim and his young wife Sheryl moved to Winnipeg, Canada, setting-out on what has proven to be a truly amazing journey. Tim earned his Registered Nurse designation in 1995 and has cared for many Parkinson’s patients throughout his career. In addition, Tim’s adopted father also had Parkinson’s Disease, which added to the deep understanding and compassion that Tim holds for people living with Parkinson’s. Tim is far too well acquainted with this disease; however, it is this close professional and personal association that brings power and poignancy to his presentations.

Tim was formally diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease in February of 2011 after first noticing a tremor in his left foot during the fall of 2010. The diagnosis came as a shock to an otherwise healthy individual. After a period of initial struggle, Tim got back on his feet continuing to workout and lead a healthy lifestyle. He successfully trained for and ran his first triathlon in the summer of 2011.

Since that time, Tim has continued to partner with various organizations to encourage physical activity among people with Parkinson’s. Tim strongly promotes physical activity as it has been shown to have significant positive impacts on the progression of Parkinson’s. 

Adam Shoalts’s presentations will inspire and motivate audiences to tackle their own personal journeys, metaphorical or literal, and to take on challenges with newfound zeal and confidence.

Adam was elected a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society for “extraordinary contributions to geography.”  He’s also been named a National Champion of the Trans-Canada Trail. In 2018, he was appointed Explorer-in-Residence of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

Adam Shoalts is the author of the national best-seller Beyond the Trees: A Journey Alone Across Canada’s Arctic, which Indigo named “one of the best books of the year.” He is also the author of the award-winning Alone Against the North, which reached #1 on the national best-seller list, and A History of Canada in 10 Maps, which was longlisted for the RBC Taylor Prize and spent multiple weeks on the best-seller list.

Adam Shoalts grew up in rural Canada with a forest on his doorstep, and it was there that his father, a woodworker, taught him to love and appreciate trees and plants. Together, they built birch bark canoes, paddles, and anything else that could be crafted from the forest. Later, Shoalts worked as a nature writer and survival instructor, but his passion always remained for just being in the woods. Next to the woods, Adam Shoalts’ second favourite place growing up was the library. If he wasn’t exploring woods he was exploring books, which led to him graduating from Brock University and being named top student in the Humanities. He subsequently completed a Master’s degree and PhD at McMaster University, where his research combined an interest in wild animals, the natural world, history and geography. He has done archaeology in four countries and presented archaeological papers at academic conferences.

Adam Shoalts is a regular guest on television and radio and his work has been featured in media around the world, including the BBC, CNN, CTV, CBC, The Telegraph, and The Guardian. His work has also been featured in Nature, the world’s most prestigious science journal. Dr. Shoalts is a highly sought after guest speaker and has addressed everyone from the Prime Minister of Canada one-on-one in his office to keynote presentations at major conferences.