Imagine discovering a tremor in your hands, finding it increasingly difficult to maintain your balance, and noticing a progressive loss of basic muscle control.
Now imagine there’s no test available to determine what’s wrong. Instead doctors have to eliminate everything else.
That’s what Parkinson’s disease sufferers go through.
Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder and the most common movement disorder. It is characterized by progressive loss of muscle control, which leads to trembling of the limbs and head while at rest, stiffness, slowness, and impaired balance. As symptoms worsen, it may become difficult to walk, talk, and complete simple tasks.
The Times is partnering with The Indiana Parkinson Foundation, an organization founded by Don Waterman, a Noblesville resident who suffers from the disease. Waterman was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2008. The foundation will be writing a series of columns about the disease, including from suffers and caregivers, to promote education and awareness.
The first column appears in today’s issue of The Times.
The Waterman family created the Indiana Parkinson Foundation, a faith-based program dedicated to supporting people with Parkinson's disease. One of the innovations of the foundation was the creation of The Climb, an exercise program designed for people with Parkinson's.
Most of the movement-related symptoms of Parkinson's disease are caused by a lack of dopamine due to the loss of dopamine-producing cells. When the amount of dopamine is too low, communication between certain systems of the brain becomes ineffective, and movement becomes impaired; the greater the loss of dopamine, the worse the movement-related symptoms. Other cells in the brain also degenerate to some degree and may contribute to non-movement related symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
The foundation’s Climb exercise program has spread throughout the state. In Hamilton County it takes place 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday at Live Right Fitness Center, 14640 Herriman Blvd, Noblesville.
For more information visit http://www.indianaparkinson.org/
https://thetimes24-7.com/Content/News/Local-News/Article/Indiana-Parkinsons-Foundation-making-lives-better-/1/1/57410
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