Parkinson’s disease doesn’t discriminate – it affects all walks of life, as Bendigo woman Val Lester can attest.
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That’s why she is encouraging Bendigo residents to walk in a show of community support for local sufferers for the first time this weekend.
The progressive neurological condition can leave people suffering trembles, causing them to lose balance and shaking their confidence.
Ms Lester said the support group she attends sees young and old, and of all kinds of professions – from accountant to priest – are impacted by the disease.
Though the condition normally strikes after the age of 65, Ms Lester was only in her early 40s when she was diagnosed.
“The kids accepted it, but the husband didn't,” she said.
“That was hard, but then again, well, you've just got to get through it.”
She said she had learned to sit with her hand secure against her cheek to camouflage the shaking the disease brought on.
“I have the tremours and I have the head shakes,” Ms Lester said.
”If I get tired, that's when it takes over,” she said.
“To write a letter it takes me three days, because you can only do so much and then your hand goes into a scribble.”
“You do lose confidence to a certain extent, you want to do things and you can't so you get frustrated.”
“A lot of people aren't able to go out or to the shops because they can't walk up stairs,” she said.
She said the weekend walk around Lake Weeroona on Sunday was to support local suffers of Parkinson’s disease.
The local Parkinson’s support group had been important as it gave people a chance to catch up, speak with someone who understood their plight and share knowledge of even strategies or products that helped them cope.
She said visiting Parkinson’s nurses and local neurologists were “marvellous” in helping patients.
Today, 80,000 Australians are living with the chronic disease, for which there is currently no known cure.
The Parkinson’s Victoria’s A Walk in the Park is now in its seventh year, but the Melbourne event will this year have an offshoot in Bendigo for the first time.
With a target of $305,000, all funds raised from A Walk in the Park will go to increasing services and funding research to improve the lives of those living with Parkinson’s across the state.
Bendigo’s inaugural Walk in the Park for Parkinson’s disease will take place at 11am on Sunday, August 30.