2 Parkies walk into a pub
Dave Clark and Kuhan Pushparatnam, otherwise known as 2 Parkies in a Pod, recall how their podcast began and celebrate the community that has grown up around it. They also take a trip back through the archives to pick their favourite episodes.
Reading time: 4 minutes
"I basically sought him out," admits Kuhan, thinking back to 2021. Having worked out that Dave lived near him, he got in touch to suggest meeting up, "just to get together and sort of compare notes."
"It felt like a first date: I was nervous, I worried about what to wear and whether I’d make a good impression," Kuhan says. Despite being in the ninth year since his Parkinson’s diagnosis, he hadn’t met a lot of other people with the condition. "And meeting Dave was a big step and just what I needed."
The idea for the podcast came pretty quickly after that first meeting: "it’s pretty much just a continuation of our chat in the pub,” Dave says, "only we record it in my kitchen now."
Community voices
"It’s an outlet for our creativity," Kuhan adds, "and it gives us a sense of purpose. I edit the episodes and take the photographs, we write the titles and descriptions. We’re a two-man band, not a huge team, but it works."
But the two of them were surprised how quickly they found a wide and endlessly supportive community of people with Parkinson’s. Dave explains, "There’s a section in each episode called ‘People with Parkinson’s do amazing things’, whether that’s playing football with their MP, or fixing the dishwasher!
"And it’s incredible how willing people are to talk to us, and share really personal, emotional stories. We’ve had people write in and tell us that they live in a remote area where they’re the only person they know with Parkinson’s, and that the podcast’s community has become a lifeline. It’s a huge privilege."
A serious back catalogue
What began as a conversation between two people has grown into something far bigger. Today, 2 Parkies in a Pod is a worldwide hit, with listeners in 131 countries across the globe. And it shows no sign of slowing down.
"The story of the podcast is how to live well with Parkinson’s," says Kuhan, "and the more voices that are represented, the better." Dave adds: "People tend to go silent when they’ve had Parkinson’s for a while. For us, that's 13 and 15 years. We try to show the good and bad, and help people not to be afraid."
"It’s all about humanity," Kuhan agrees. "Every episode has something to make you laugh and something to make you cry."
Dave’s favourite episodes
Walking for Parkinson’s (October 2023)
The two of us walked around Battersea Park in London with 300 people raising funds for Parkinson’s UK. Everybody we met had their own Parkinson’s story to tell. It’s a fascinating insight into an amazing community.
Meet the brain surgeon (July 2025)
We hear the amazing life story of neurosurgeon Harith Akram. He went to medical school aged 16, escaped war-torn Iraq and now works as a brain surgeon at Queen Square, London. He’s an expert in deep brain stimulation (DBS) and was part of Kuhan’s surgical team.
What do my meds do? (February 2026)
Top neuroprofessor Jane Alty explains what all your Parkinson’s meds do. Too often we’re given a box of pills and told to get on with life. Jane runs through every Parkinson’s medication, explaining in detail how they work
Kuhan’s favourite episodes
Meeting Michael J Fox, brain surgery and coming out (August 2023)
This episode features Canadian broadcaster Harry Forestell and the beautiful story of how his Parkinson’s diagnosis was “outed” by his 13-year-old daughter’s school essay.
How do you live with Parkinson’s for 50 years? (April 2023)
An interview we did with the legendary Matt Eagles full of moving moments of despair, love and, ultimately, hope.
All the episodes are personal but this one for me was very special. Before, during and immediately after my hospital stay for brain surgery, including the magical moment of the deep brain stimulation (DBS) device being switched on by the team.
Listen now
Find all of these episodes and over 50 more on your usual podcast platform.
Hear more from the 2 Parkies at Par-Con, our annual convention for the whole Parkinson’s community. Join us online or in Birmingham on 13 and 14 November 2026.