Yesterday (11th April 2022) was World Parkinson’s Day, a day which supports awareness surrounding Parkinson’s Disease. To mark the occasion, Hereford Town hall was lit up in blue, hoping to raise awareness for this debilitating affliction.

Parkinson’s disease is a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years. The 3 main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are involuntary shaking of particular parts of the body, slow movement, and stiff and inflexible muscles.

It’s thought around 1 in 500 people are affected by Parkinson’s disease. Most people with Parkinson’s start to develop symptoms when they’re over 50, although around 1 in 20 people with the condition first experience symptoms when they’re under 40.

As the condition progresses, the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease can get worse and it can become increasingly difficult to carry out everyday activities without help. Many people respond well to treatment and only experience mild to moderate disability, whereas the minority may not respond as well and can, in time, become more severely disabled.

As Parkinson’s UK states; “Not enough people understand what it’s like to live with Parkinson’s. They don’t know it’s a serious condition. They don’t realise that treatments are limited and that there is no cure. But if more people understand Parkinson’s, the more people can fundraise, can fight for fair benefits, can support their local communities, and, ultimately, can get us closer to that cure.”

For more information, visit their website here: https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/get-involved