This is what Bill has to say about #PDANDME:

Four and a half years ago I received a message from the neurologist that I did not want to hear: “You have Parkinson’s Disease!” I was told that there was no cure and no way of reversing the diagnosis. All I could do was manage the symptoms.

A friend with Parkinson’s disease (PD) told me of Parkinson Society BC (PSBC) and I looked up their website. The website included a request for volunteers for a University of British Columbia (UBC) study led by a PhD candidate looking at the impacts of exercise on PD. He was looking for persons with PD who had not been physically active to participate in his study. As an experienced couch potato, I qualified. Following many tests, I began a program of aerobic exercise 4 days per week for 4 months. I cannot say that I really enjoyed the exercise, especially the sweating, but I got used to it. The camaraderie of the researcher and the other participants kept me attending each session. At the end of the program there was further testing and an offer of support to continue exercising through a local gym or community center.

I took them up on the offer, and also joined a regular weekly PD exercise class. With the guidance and direction of an Occupational Therapist (OT) specializing in PD, we developed an exercise program that specifically targeted my Parkinson’s symptoms. While the gym would have preferred me to use their trainers, they acknowledged that they did not have expertise in PD and graciously allowed my OT to develop a custom program for me using their equipment. I am also fortunate that my building offers a two day per week “chair yoga” program to residents, which I now attend.

I have been participating in the UBC study for a year and a half. I have become a regular exerciser – doing 4-5 sessions per week, even though I still do not like the feel of sweat covered gym clothes. It has given me a feeling of having some control of my symptoms, doing what I can do and hopefully keeping me healthier for longer, despite my Parkinson’s.

Apart from the exercise, I have met a whole group of wonderful people as a result of being diagnosed with PD. The staff at UBC, PSBC staff, the OT specialists, the support group members and others with PD have all, without exception, been committed, caring and helpful.  We are blessed to have them at our back.

As part of our mandate to be the voice of British Columbians with Parkinson disease, Parkinson Society British Columbia is publishing the views and experiences of our community members. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent those of the organization. Any changes in your treatment regime should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional.