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Vicky Perry’s granddad, George Woodall, was a sufferer of this dreadful disease. George unfortunately died whilst Vicky was very young and she is supporting the charity in memory of her grandparents.
What is Parkinson's?
Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition which affects one person in 500. That’s about 120,000 people in the UK: one in 20 sufferers is under the age of 40.
People with Parkinson’s don’t have enough of a chemical called dopamine because some nerve cells in their brain have died. Without dopamine people can find that their movements become slower so it takes longer to do things. The loss of nerve cells in the brain causes the symptoms of Parkinson’s to appear.
There’s currently no cure for Parkinson’s and we don’t yet know why people get the condition. It doesn’t directly cause people to die, but symptoms do get worse over time.
Parkinson’s Symptoms
The main symptoms of Parkinson’s are tremor, rigidity and slowness of movement. As well as affecting movement, people with Parkinson’s can find that other issues, such as tiredness, pain, depression and constipation, can have an impact on their day-to-day lives.
The symptoms someone has and how quickly the condition develops will differ from one person to the next. They can be controlled using a combination of drugs, therapies and occasionally surgery.
Parkinson’s UK
The charity brings people with Parkinson’s, their carers and families together via a local network of groups, website and free confidential helpline. Specialist nurses, supporters and staff provide information and training on every aspect of Parkinson’s.
Parkinson’s UK are also leading the work to find a cure, and they are closer than ever.
Finally they campaign within the government and health care sector to change attitudes and demand better services. The work of Parkinson’s UK is totally dependent on donations. Help Parkinson’s UK to find a cure and improve life for everyone affected by Parkinson’s.
For more information please see www.parkinsons.org.uk
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