(Kevin Kyle/CHAT News)

By Adrian St.Onge

‘Try to live a normal life and have fun’: April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month

Apr 2, 2024 | 5:00 AM

Parkinson’s affects over 103,000 Canadians every year, including people here in Medicine Hat.

The disease causes neurons in the brain to break down or dies leading to a loss of dopamine.

This leads to irregular brains activity and problems with movement, speech and cognitive function.

Medicine Hat resident Dave Sherwood was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2016 and said that he’s experienced a drastic change in his life.

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“I managed to stay working until my retirement which was a couple years ago,” Sherwood said.

“It was very difficult towards the end because of the fatigue,” he added.

“It gives you some mental cognitive problems as well. A little more difficult to come up with words and things like that. Sometimes, it affects the breathing and speech. It’s a slowly debilitating disease. You won’t die tomorrow because of it, but it can be very disruptive to your life.”

While the disease has no cure, symptoms being treated can lead to an improved quality of life.

Sherwood takes 20 medications per day but also stays active at home and has a workout routine.

He said that it’s important for anyone afflicted by Parkinson’s to not let it control your life.

“I think it’s important that you’re treated for it. Go to a good neurologist who deals with it,” Sherwood said.

“I have had my medications and routines change over the years because of the Parkinson’s and the neurologist telling me what to do,” he said.

“I think the big thing is don’t let it take you over. You’re gonna have problems, it’s going to get worse, at some point I won’t be able to drive. But you just keep doing what you can to keep going, try to live a normal life, have fun.”

Early signs of Parkinson’s might be hard to detect, but early symptoms can include hand tremors, slowed movement, impaired posture or balance and changes in writing or speech.

Experts say there are no direct causes to Parkinson’s but that treatment is more effective the earlier the disease can be diagnosed.

The Parkinson’s Association of Alberta hosts support meetings across the province with Lethbridge being home to a monthly program and Medicine Hat being home to a program every other month.