World Parkinson's Day

This month, I attended Parkinson’s UK’s World Parkinson’s Day event in Parliament, where I met with people living with the condition and their loved ones.

Around 153,000 people are living with Parkinson’s in the UK, and people can experience up to 40 different symptoms. This year’s theme for World Parkinson’s Day is ‘there isn’t one face of Parkinson’s’ and I was struck by the group’s wide range of experiences of life with the condition, the different symptoms they managed and how quickly the condition can fluctuate.

The group shared their stories of accessing healthcare, employment and welfare support with me - what works well for them, and what could be improved. After speaking to the volunteers I agreed to table a question to the Government in Parliament.

Information, advice and support for people living in Bootle constituency is available on Parkinson’s UK’s website, www.parkinsons.org.uk or its free, confidential helpline on 0808 800 0303. There are also over 360 local groups across the UK that are run by volunteers who provide activities, social events and support.