OVER 100 walkers gathered on Saturday, April 13 at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park near Wakefield to raise awareness and show support for people living with Parkinson’s.
The walk, organised by the Parkinson's UK’s Yorkshire & Humber Younger Person's Support Group (YHYPSG), marked World Parkinson’s Day, which took place on Thursday, April 11.
As many of the younger people with Parkinson’s in the area have jobs, young families and elderly parents to care for, YHYPSG tries to organise events at weekends and in the evenings so younger people can attend.
The YHYPSG hosted the family and dog friendly walk in the beautiful grounds of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park because of the benefits of walking, companionship and the support of family and friends. Everyone benefitted from socialising over tea and cake afterwards. The Yorkshire Sculpture Park also who kindly offered attendees discounted entry and the YHYPSG is hoping the walk will become an annual event to mark World Parkinson’s Day.
Emma Moscrop, of Ilkley, is part of the YHYPSG volunteer team. Emma was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2016 aged 46 when her sons were just seven and ten years old.
Her extended family joined her on the walk and her cousin, Gemma Rowe who works for Mölnlycke Healthcare, announced that Mölnlycke have awarded the YHYPSG their first Giving Something Back donation of 2024 of £1,000.
This is in addition to a donation by Josette Cornish, Emma’s Ilkley yoga teacher and friend, who raised over £1,400 for the group by entering the 2023 Adult British Gymnastics Championships and through her Olicana Gymnastics Club. Emma’s friends and family who couldn’t be at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park have donated more than £1,100 to YHYPSG, which is totally self-funding.
The YHYPSG volunteer team intends to use the various donations to produce leaflets about the support it provides. These will be distributed to every hospital, Parkinson’s consultant and nurse and ultimately all GP’s surgeries in the region to ensure no younger person with Parkinson’s in Yorkshire or Humber needlessly feels isolated or frightened by their diagnosis.
In addition, YHYPSG are planning to arrange and subsidise in person and online exercise classes to suit younger people with Parkinson’s in the area and are setting up more local younger persons support groups – currently groups exist in Leeds, York, Wakefield and a new one is starting in Hull.
Emma Moscrop, co-ordinator of the Parkinson's UK’s Yorkshire & Humber Younger Person's Support Group said: “The walk did exactly what we’d hoped it would. It marked World Parkinson’s Day and raised awareness of Parkinson’s, particularly how it impacts younger people in our region. It also gave those with Parkinson’s and their families and friends a chance to meet others in similar situations and support one another. There was such a great atmosphere and a real sense of camaraderie.
"People with Parkinson’s are often some of the most positive, determined and wonderful human beings and the YHYPSG is really proud to provide mutual support for us all to live well with Parkinson’s.
"Our next big event is our Annual Information Day on 29 September at Rogerthorpe Manor near Pontefract where we will again welcome anyone under 67 in our region with Parkinson’s.”
Parkinson’s is now the fastest growing neurological condition in the world. One in every 35 people in the UK will suffer from it. It is degenerative, with no cure and no medication to slow down its progress. It also appears to be increasingly impacting more younger people. The one thing that is believed to be capable of slowing down Parkinson’s progression is exercise.
People generally associate Parkinson’s with a tremor and a shuffle. However, there are over 40 possible symptoms which impact everyone differently. Some of these are motor symptoms, which can affect any muscle in the body and impact the way people are able to move. Other less well-known symptoms include immense apathy, exhaustion, pain, sleep difficulties, depression and anxiety.
Further details about the Yorkshire & Humber Young Person’s Group are available on the Parkinson’s UK website at: localsupport.parkinsons.org.uk/provider/yorkshire-and-humber-younger-persons-support-group
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here