April is Parkinson's Awareness Month and 50-year-old Wendy Tones is sharing her story to build awareness about the condition in hopes research will one day lead to a cure.

Parkinson's disease is often described as a merciless condition but it is one that Tones says she's learned to deal with through a mix of humility and humor.

"You know, it's like, if I don't laugh, I won't get through it," she says.

Tones is suffering from Stage-5 Parkinson's – the final stage of the illness, characterized by severe rigidity of her muscles and limbs. It makes it difficult for her to stand or walk without falling.