People living in South London who are affected by Parkinson’s are invited to a supportive, free information day on Thursday 18 July. The event, Living well with Parkinson’s – fitness, fun and finding happiness! is hosted by Parkinson’s UK and welcomes anyone living with, or caring for someone with, the condition.
Held at St Laurence Church, 37 Bromley Road London SE6 2TS, the in-person event includes a range of talks, activity tasters and information stalls, and signposts to the support and activities on offer across the South East of London.
The event is open to everyone, but especially those from Black, Asian, Arab or mixed heritage backgrounds. This helps to ensure advice and opportunities are inclusive, accessible and representative of the diverse local community.
Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world and an estimated 13,000 people are living with the condition in Greater London. With more than 40 symptoms, it affects everyone differently. Meeting and sharing experiences of Parkinson’s can help people feel less isolated, especially when newly diagnosed.
The Living Well with Parkinson’s event is free with a packed agenda, which includes:
● Support and advice from the Lewisham branch volunteers and staff members
● Parkinson’s researchers, explaining Parkinson’s therapies and practical tips
● Stories and discussions with people who have, or have been affected by, Parkinson’s
● Activity taster sessions to help manage symptoms, such as boxing, Tai Chi and seated dancing
Juliet McCollin, Lead Volunteer at the Lewisham branch, has led the planning for the event. She has first-hand experience of caring for her mum Grace, who had Parkinson’s.
“Mum was easy going and funny. She was diagnosed in 2014 and took it in her stride.
So I went to the Parkinson’s UK website to look for things to help keep her busy and active. Having awareness about the condition already helped, but we didn’t have every detail and gathered information along the way. We knew it was a progressive condition and we did everything step by step, so as not to alarm Mum. We organised exercise classes and went along to the local group. That was the start of us being involved in the Lewisham branch.
“Mum was a very social person. Having another place to go and talk to people was a big
help. She never looked at it as a woeful group, but as another place for her to meet and share life stories and get involved in what was going on. She enjoyed the Tai Chi classes.
I went along with Mum every month so that she was supported. I knew she would be and I was happy she had that space.”
Liz Nash, Research Support Network Manager at Parkinson’s UK, said:
“We’re delighted to be running another South London event for the many communities affected by Parkinson’s. There may be people living with Parkinson’s who struggle to get advice and support. We can connect them to specialists and healthcare professionals, and showcase some great activities that can help them to manage their symptoms and even make friends. For some people these events are the first time they have ever met anyone else with Parkinson’s, or talked about it.”
“We’d love to get guests interested in research, too. Parkinson’s affects people of all ethnicities across the UK, but we know this diversity is not reflected in Parkinson’s research. This lack of representation means that new treatments may not be appropriate for, or available to, everyone. We need to involve, include and represent everyone in the Parkinson’s community for this to change. At Parkinson’s UK, our Race Equality in Research project is addressing this head-on. We will explain what Parkinson’s research entails, and how everyone’s experiences are vital in finding effective treatments for themselves, for their loved ones and their community.”
