Parkinson's group emphasizes good fitness

Josephine Kleimeyer, Special to the Beaver
Oct 30, 2004

Ed Gallagher has become a morning person three days a week, thanks to
an aquatic program at the YMCA of Oakville designed for people with
Parkinson's Disease. Class begins at 8 a.m. and even before that he
can be seen on the walking track limbering up.

The program at the Y is one of two Parkinson support groups in
Oakville. The other being a once-a-week gathering at St. Jude's
Anglican Church which combines moderate exercise and an information-
sharing social half hour.

Gallagher, who has had Parkinson's for three years spearheaded the
aquatic program at the Y after taking part in a special class at the
Baycrest Centre in North York.

"I got tired of driving an hour and a half to get to Baycrest and
decided to look into our own program when the new Y was opened here."
The program celebrated its second anniversary last month.

To find a leader required searching no further than Jeanette Haywood,
the Y's supervisor of health and fitness who had studied the program
at Baycrest. She put together an hour-long series of exercises for
Parkinson's patients that emphasize stretching and mobility both in
and out of the water.

Three mornings a week instructor Pat Broughton puts the swimmers
through their paces - and puts up with their sense of humour. "You've
got to admire their determination," she says.

Parkinson's Disease is a progressive neurological disease that
affects movement as well as speech. An estimated 100,000 Canadians
are affected, yet no one can pin down a cure. Trembling, rigidity and
slowness of movement are key symptoms. All Parkinson's patients have
one or another - or both. Progress varies between individuals.

There is no cure, but medications to ease symptoms are being
developed all the time. Combined with regular exercise and a normal
healthy diet, symptoms may be relieved. And then there is surgery.

Ian Pearson, a member of the Y program is one of few Canadians to
benefit from a deep brain implant which acts as a pacemaker to the
brain. Pearson has lived with Parkinson's for 17 years. Following
surgery three years ago he says he felt like a teenager. But then the
old symptoms began to creep back.

Nevertheless he is a tireless promoter of the fundraising sale of
cheese at Christmas, and helps organize the Parkinson's Super Walk
which Canada-wide last year brought in $1.4 million for research.

Lillian Chung who belongs to the Parkinson's group at St. Jude's has
been waiting months for an implant at Toronto Western Hospital. (It
has been scheduled for late October.)

It is because of Chung's condition that her sister Phyllis Egbert
became involved with the Parkinson's Society in Oakville. Egbert
heads the group and leads the exercise class at St. Jude's every
Tuesday morning.

"It is vitally important to keep mobile," she insists. To augment
weekly exercises, Egbert would like to see more of her group continue
exercising at home. She sees her sessions a strong motivator for
people to be more active. They also provide an important social
outing where participants can exchange ideas and share their
experiences with Parkinson's.

For further information about these two Parkinson's programs, contact
the YMCA of Oakville at 905-845-3417 and Phyllis Egbert at 905-820-
0652.

Josephine Kleimeyer is a member of the Parkinson's group at St.
Jude's Anglican Church.

SOURCE: The Toronto Star
http://tinyurl.com/52opz

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