I would like to help improve the lives of people living with Parkinson’s

Of all the people in her life to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s, Michelle’s husband Dave was the most shocking.

Dave was in his late 40s when he began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe stomach upsets and the classic “gunslinger’s gait’ common to the condition.

“Even though I had Parkinson’s in my family, I couldn’t see it at first. The diagnosis was a real shock – I felt like it wasn’t right, I was supposed to have it, not him.”

As the disease advanced, Michelle and Dave moved to a coastal town in regional NSW. It’s a beautiful spot, with a warm and welcoming community.

But what it doesn’t have – and desperately needs – is a Parkinson’s Specialist Nurse.

There are thousands of people living with Parkinson’s in regional communities who lack basic access to the kind of practical medical support a Parkinson’s Nurse can offer.

If there’s one thing you can do for people with Parkinson’s today, it’s this: help us with a gift of
your choice today to help fund more Parkinson’s Nurses in regional and remote areas.

As someone who’s As someone who’s familiar with Parkinson’s, I know you understand just what a complex and difficult
disease this is.

When you live far away from your specialist and you can’t even get on the books of the local GP, managing the disease becomes a lot harder.

Michelle says that, as Dave’s condition deteriorates, the need for a Parkinson’s Nurse grows. She recounts a couple of occasions when Dave accidentally overdosed on his medication in an attempt to fight worsening symptoms. He ended up in hospital.

“If we’d had someone like a Parkinson’s Nurse to advise us, we would have avoided the hospital, I’m sure.”

The numbers of people living with Parkinson’s are rising. Many of those people live in small communities just like Michelle and Dave. Michelle told me:

“It seems to me that more and more people are being diagnosed, but the money to support people with Parkinson’s and their carers is not keeping up. Any money donated can be put towards a Parkinson's Nurse or other support – it could help someone you know.”

I am sure you feel as I do – it’s not right that some Australians have easy access to specialist health
care, while so many others struggle even to see a GP. For people with Parkinson’s in regional communities, access to appropriate, timely care is sporadic, and often non-existent.

If you can, please help with a gift  today - a crisis for someone with Parkinson’s doesn’t wait for six-monthly appointments.

More Parkinson’s Nurses will ensure better support for people like Michelle and Dave – when they
need it most. Together, we can make it happen.