World Parkinson's Day

It is the world’s fastest growing neurological condition, and yet Parkinson’s Disease is a bit of a mystery to many people. Is it just a disease of the elderly, is it simply about a violent tremor, can its progress be halted or reversed by modern medicine? I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s three years ago and while I have learned a lot, I too am still quite hazy about the answers to many of those questions.

Which is why today’s World Parkinson’s Day is so important in raising awareness and trying to get everyone from politicians to healthcare professionals to the general public to understand the challenges faced by people living with the condition.

What I’ve learned is what a broad range of experiences people with Parkinson’s have as they navigate life with the condition. Last week I spent a day with four other “Parkies” helping to advise the charity Parkinson’s UK on a major appointment. They had all been diagnosed for longer and at an earlier age than me, and one had set up her own charity Spotlight Yopd to highlight the needs of people with young onset Parkinson’s.

I learned so much that day - the struggle of many people to get the benefits they need when Parkinson’s symptoms worsen, how vital exercise can be for maintaining your physical and mental health and, most cheerfully, that red wine and dark chocolate can have a beneficial effect for Parkies. (I’ve just checked - it seems the red wine claim does stack up!)

You’ll see a lot of interesting material on social media today with the #WorldParkinsonsDay hashtag. I want to highlight a couple of items.

First, this video made by NHS healthcare professionals living with Parkinson’s. It’s all about the importance of getting your medication on time, something else we discussed last week.

Second, a post by Imperial College about something close to my heart, the Parkinson’s Brain Bank at London’s Hammersmith Hospital. If we are ever to understand the disease and find a cure, then the research done at the brain bank may be our best hope. The Imperial post includes my report two years ago for BBC Breakfast in which I make the decision to leave my own brain for research.