Wednesday

Charity of the Month // Parkinson's UK


Like many people, I once thought Parkinson's was a condition that purely caused shakiness. I understood that it wasn't a pleasant condition but had absolutely no idea of the devastating effect it can cause. Then, in 2010, someone very close to me was diagnosed with it. 
Over the next two years, I watched this person deteriorate from somebody very confident and independent, who had was rarely unwell at all, to a frail, anxious person confined to a wheelchair. It absolutely broke my heart. For a while, I was living with this person and did my best to help out where I could, but it devastated me to see such a strong, inspiring person (who is still strong and inspiring to me, no matter their health) progress to somebody who needed 24-hour care. 
Parkinson's doesn't just affect movement. It's a progressive neurological condition which causes fatigue, memory loss, communication issues and problems with swallowing. There is no cure and it's not a terminal illness. Instead, sufferers deteriorate over time until they completely lose their independence.
For me, the thing that hurts the most is that my loved one is still as sharp as every mentally but is living trapped in her own body and finds it difficult to communicate. I've seen first-hand how people talk and act around her as if she doesn't understand what's going on, and can only imagine how frustrating that must be.
Since there is no cure for Parkinson's, and it's not known what causes it, there are about 127,000 people living with the condition in the UK. That's 127,000 people who know they will get worse and that their quality of life will dwindle with no hope for improvement. However, Parkinson's UK are working tirelessly to research the condition and work towards a cure. They also help support people living with Parkinson's and their loved ones, and campaign to make sure sufferers are treated fairly.Parkinson's UK is a cause I will support forever, having such close contact with the condition. There are also some indications that it may be genetic in some cases and research shows that sufferers of Parkinson's have low dopamine levels, something that is also evident in those with anxiety, like myself. This makes me very aware that there's a chance Parkinson's may crop up in my own future. 
If you'd also like to help, you can sponsor a worm like Dave (it makes sense when you read it!) for £5 a month or check out the Parkinson's shop where there's a huge range of items sold to raise money. Of course, you can also donate in the usual way with a single donation
All the money raised by Parkinson's makes a real difference to the lives of those with the condition and in the fight for research to finally beat this cruel illness.

4 comments :

  1. This is a cause that means a lot to me too as my gran was diagnosed with Parkinsons a little over a year ago. Despite having a reasonable level of awareness it doesn't have the best level of understanding and I think that's really important. xx

    Charlotte / coloursandcarousels

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  2. Great choice of charity. My Grandad has had Parkinson's for about six years now and it's horrible to watch someone suffer like that. Fortunately his deterioration has been incredibly slow in comparison to some cases, but it's still horrible to see the memory loss and the loss of his independence.
    It's not a condition that is talked about enough and any donations/support towards it are so important.

    Bethan Likes

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  3. What a great post, Becky. I had absolutely no clue that Parkinson's had other symptoms other than the shakiness it causes. What a heartbreaking condition, and fair play to you for talking about it and getting people to know more. This sounds like a wonderful charity to support.

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  4. I'm so glad you've chosen this charity. It's so important that people realise Parkinsons doesn't just affect movement. My best friend in school, her grandfather suffered from Parkinsons really badly, it affected him so much. He's a really really lovely man and it's so heartbreaking to see him suffer. Xx

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