Walking the walk to fight Parkinson’s

JAIME POLMATEER / WESTMAN JOURNAL 

SEPTEMBER 2, 2017

Dennis Brugger, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease more than a decade ago, encourages Wheat City residents to attend the Parkinson’s Super Walk and help out with the cause.

Dennis Brugger said he’s happy for what he can still do instead of being upset about what he can’t.

Brugger was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease nearly 11 years ago and though his movements are slowed and his hand trembles from the affliction, he said he still considers himself a joyful man, something reflected in his smile and the warmth of his voice.

Despite physical setbacks, he spent much of the afternoon last Friday pounding the pavement, collecting pledges for the upcoming Parkinson’s Super Walk, which takes place Sept. 9 at the Riverbank Discovery Centre.

“It’s just trying to get a presence in Brandon of what Parkinson’s is,” said Brugger of the event.

“There’s over 6,500 Parkinson’s patients in Manitoba and I happen to be one of them, but it’s quite a good event—we have a pretty good turnout and we raise quite a bit of capital, which the money goes toward research.”

The neurological disease affects people in different ways, he added, and though it hasn’t been proven, Brugger said it almost seems genetic as his father and three of his first cousins were also diagnosed with the disease.

Perhaps that’s why he’s attended Parkinson’s Super Walk for the past nine years and his family—his wife, four sons and daughter,. known by the team name the Brugger Bunch—show up in full force every year to support the cause.

The event was started 13 years ago by a group of volunteers, bringing in a rough average of 80 to 100 participants who raise up to $13,000 every year.

They raise money by gathering pledges in the community and all of it goes to supporting research, programs and support groups for those who live with the disease as well as their caretakers.

“To me it’s special because I think that more people in Brandon and the Westman area know more about Parkinson’s than they did 10 years ago, that’s for sure, and people are gracious to contribute,” Brugger said.

“Which means we’re getting closer to isolating the gene that causes Parkinson’s; my own family, my four sons and my daughter, have had blood tests sent to Mayo Clinic to try and isolate the gene to see if they can find out what’s really causing the disease.”

Charlotte Potyondy, community development coordinator for Parkinson’s Canada Westman Region, said the walk is the only major fundraiser for Parkinson’s Canada in the Westman area.

She added participants don’t have to attend the walk itself, as the timing won’t always work in everyone’s schedule, so if they choose they can just collect the pledges and donate the money.

Though it’s a perfectly acceptable way to participate, Brugger said there’s merit in going to the Riverbank Discovery Centre to see what the event is about first hand.

“They come out and they hear what Parkinson’s does to a person and how we can strengthen one another with sharing—how the disease affects each one— because like I mentioned earlier, it affects different people in different ways,” he said.

Check-in for the event starts at 10 a.m. with coffee provided for those who attend.

http://www.westmanjournal.com/news/local-news/walking-the-walk-to-fight-parkinson-s-1.22295807