On the third Friday of every month, the Werribee Parkinson’s Peer Support Group gets together to share stories and advice.
The group, founded just over 15 years ago, has about 25 members and welcomes Parkinson’s sufferers, their family members and carers into the fold.
Among their numbers is Allen Flavell, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s nine years ago, and his wife Angela.
Mrs Flavell said the meetings, which often included a guest speaker, were helpful and informative.
“A fireman came and said he couldn’t understand why so many people with Parkinson’s were still in bed when there was a fire, why they couldn’t smell the smoke,” she said.
“He wasn’t aware that Parkinson’s sufferers lose their sense of smell.”
Ray Dalton, who was diagnosed five years ago, said the symptoms were different for each Parkinson’s sufferer.
Those symptoms can include colour blindness, muscle stiffness, memory loss and tremors, making it difficult to perform basic tasks such as doing up buttons or tying shoelaces.
Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition that can be difficult to diagnose because of the diverse range of symptoms. The underlying cause of Parkinson’s symptoms relates to a decline in the production of a brain chemical called dopamine, which causes sufferers to have difficulty controlling their movements and moving freely.
About 27,000 people in Victoria live with Parkinson’s disease, which has no cure.
Thousands of Victorians will pound the pavement this Sunday for Parkinson’s Victoria’s A Walk in the Park fundraiser, leaving Federation Square at 11am.
Parkinson’s Victoria hopes to raise $305,000 from the event, with all proceeds to help increase services and funding research to improve the lives of people across Victoria who are living with Parkinson’s.
For more information about the Werribee Parkinson’s Peer Support Group, email rayjune@optusnet.com.au
