How The Foundation of Light is keeping Parkinson’s community social and active
The Foundation of Light is reflecting on how their walking football sessions are making a difference for those living with Parkinson’s disease.
The official charity of Sunderland AFC hosts a weekly session with the support of Parkinson鈥檚 UK to help those living with neurological diseases to stay active and social.
Kevin Ramsey, aged 54, is a long-time attendee of the walking football sessions after being diagnosed with Parkinson鈥檚 two years ago.
鈥淲hen I first started coming nearly a year and a half ago, there was only two of us,鈥 Kevin commented on the importance of the sessions.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just grown and grown, now there鈥檚 11 or 12 of us. Before I came here, I didn鈥檛 know anybody with Parkinson鈥檚 disease, I didn鈥檛 know anything about neurological diseases.
鈥淪o it鈥檚 not just the fitness, it鈥檚 the mental side as well. Having other people who are going through the same things I鈥檓 going through really helps a lot.鈥
On living with Parkinson鈥檚, Kevin added: 鈥淚 was diagnosed two years ago and I probably had symptoms for four to five years before that.
鈥淏eing a typical bloke, I ignored it and thought 鈥業鈥檒l be fine鈥 and my symptoms got progressively worse until I went to the doctor鈥檚.
鈥淚 went through a diagnosis period of around six or seven months, and ultimately I was diagnosed with Parkinson鈥檚 disease.
鈥淎fter the uncertainty and stress of 鈥榳hat鈥檚 wrong with me, why don鈥檛 they just tell me,鈥 it actually came as a bit of a relief and I thought 鈥榦kay, this is what I鈥檝e got, now I can learn about it and can work out a plan of action to combat it as much as I can.鈥欌
For those with Parkinson鈥檚, exercise is a vital component to maintaining balance, mobility and activities of daily living.
Kevin鈥檚 love of football brought him to the Foundation of Light鈥檚 neurological football sessions, and it has been a stepping stone to increasing his physical activity.
鈥淲ithout being able to come here on a Tuesday, I would just sit at home, vegetate, and waste away,鈥 he said on the impact playing walking football can have on managing symptoms.
鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to just sit on the sofa and go 鈥業 have a disease,鈥 whereas I鈥檝e joined a gym now, I come here, I go out for walks. You鈥檝e kind of got to force yourself to do something every day because exercise is great for the mind and the body.
鈥淎fter the session, just to sit down and talk to each other, find out what we鈥檙e all up to, find out what somebody鈥檚 been struggling with over a cup of tea and a biscuit. That鈥檚 just as important to me as the fitness and playing football.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the simple things that sometimes really help.鈥
Another participant of the weekly sessions is 66-year-old Erika Cummings, who was diagnosed with Parkinson鈥檚 disease in November 2022 just months before her retirement.
鈥淭here was a tremor for a good while, which I thought was down to anxiety. I think it鈥檚 a bit of both with me, but I was diagnosed with Parkinson鈥檚,鈥 she said.
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 stop me, I鈥檓 very positive. Although some mornings you feel 鈥業 can鈥檛 be bothered鈥 and just the aching, the stiffness, and your head鈥檚 not in the same place, you鈥檝e just got to be positive.鈥
Erika also stresses how participating both socially and physically can be vital for managing life with Parkinson鈥檚 disease, saying: 鈥淚t鈥檚 as though you haven鈥檛 got Parkinson鈥檚.
鈥淵ou meet a lot of people from all different walks of life, because it doesn鈥檛 just affect a certain group of people, it can affect anybody.
鈥淪o you learn about them, their background, how they came to be diagnosed with Parkinson鈥檚. You鈥檙e just having a chat about this, that, or the other.
鈥淚 am the only lady at the minute, although there is another one coming. That never put me off. I feel much better when I鈥檓 leaving than when I came in.鈥
Around 10 million people have the condition worldwide 鈥 that’s less than one percent of the total population. Most people who get Parkinson’s are over 60, but one in ten are under 50.