News and Updates
Keep up to date with the latest news at Parkinson’s Care and Support UK as well as developments from the world of Parkinson’s.
Special thanks to The Cooperative for choosing Parkinson’s Care and Support UK as one of their chosen charities of 2023!
The Coop team held a charity golf day in September 2023 at Silvermere Golf Course in Cobham, Surrey and raised an amazing £4800 to support people affected by Parkinson’s.
Over the past few years Coop have raised over £300,000 for their charity partners and have made a huge improvements to the lives of many people. We thank everyone at Coop who has contributed to this success including a huge thank you to Shaun Steele and Robert Edes from the Coop who went the extra mile to make this happen.
The Prince Philip Trust Fund gave Parkinson’s Care and Support UK a grant of £1500 during 2023 to help us to support the most vulnerable people living with Parkinson’s in Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.
The Prince Philip Trust Fund makes a real difference to the quality of life of people from communities across the extensive area of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. Established in 1977 as a grant-giving trust, They particularly focus their support towards disability, health, the elderly, families, children and young people, those in social need and the arts.
Simon Whyte has completed 5 Tough Mudders in aid of the Parkinson’s Centre…but has 6 more to go!
The team behind the Parkinson’s Centre for Integrated Therapy is extremely grateful to our supporters for the extreme measures some of them will go to to raise money to support the opening of this vital new Centre.
Simon Whyte, a member of staff from the King’s School, Canterbury, has pledged to run 11 Tough Mudders during 2022 which will see him travelling far and wide across the country to take part in various assault courses. Starting in April and aiming to finish at the end of October, Simon has recently completed his fifth event in Yorkshire and has so far raised an incredible £545 towards our work.
Of his challenge, Simon said, “I fell in love with the mud in 2021. My first Tough Mudder at Crawley was not what I expected but what I needed. As 2022 rolled around and years of lockdown behind us, a sense of altruistic urgency took hold of me, that’s when the Tough Mudder challenge formed. My employer had chosen the Parkinson’s Centre as its Charity of the Year so to help their fundraising efforts I pledged to tackle all the Tough Mudders in the UK in a year. The task wouldn’t be easy but I continue to push through the pain, marking the adversity others go through, not by choice, but by the cards life dealt them.
My family and co-workers have been a wonderful support through it all and have shown their solidarity to those suffering with Parkinson’s. I’m determined to cement this change and continue challenging myself each year to raise money and awareness for the causes that affect us all. A heartfelt thanks for the donations and encouragement received. The time for reflection nears as only four events remain, lets get muddy!”
If you would like to sponsor Simon (or read more about his experiences from his events so far) please visit his JustGiving page or if you would like to take part in your own challenge event to raise money for this cause please.
The University of Kent to host its first ever Giving Week for the Parkinson’s Centre for Integrated Therapy.
We are excited to announce that the University of Kent will be hosting its first ever fundraising week. Join us from the 9th to 13th May 2022 to help us raise vital funds for University projects.
Kent Giving Week will include a packed programme of engaging events, both in person and online, including a silent disco dance-athon, a lunchtime music concert, TED talks and our PhD students talking about their cutting-edge research. There will also be The Big Finale Livestream which you will not want to miss.
Why not take part in The Moving Challenge, where this year’s target is to travel the collective distance of 5,000km in whichever way you fancy such as running, swimming, walking, cycling or even the vertical distance of a skydive whilst raising funds through sponsorship.
Our target is to raise £25,000 with a specific focus on Parkinson’s disease. Our new Parkinson’s Centre for Integrated Therapy will provide individualised and integrated non-drug therapies all under one roof to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of people living with Parkinson’s disease. It will include ground-breaking neurostimulation techniques pioneered at the University of Kent along with tested therapies such as physiotherapy, group exercise, psychotherapy and massage therapy.
Save the date and join us in May.
For further information or to register to take part please contact Sarah Boswell on S.Boswell@kent.ac.uk.
Siblings aged 9 and 12 cycle 200 miles to help people affected by Parkinson’s
Meet Eli and Kelize, age 9 and 12. The siblings from Surrey, have become the youngest children in the UK to cycle 200 miles for the Cycle for Parkinson’s challenge!
Our latest interview with Ray Dorsey, MD
It is the most talked about book this year on Parkinson’s Disease! A Prescription for Action, Ending Parkinson’s by Ray Dorsey MD, Todd Sherer PhD, Michael S. Okun MD and Bastiaan R. Bloem MD PhD is on sale now. Elizabeth Gordon, Chief Executive of Parkinson’s Care and Support UK, speaks in depth to Ray Dorsey about the prevention of Parkinson’s and how the UK is contributing to the Parkinson’s pandemic.
Online Exercise
Due to the coronavirus crisis we have had to cancel all of our venue- based exercise classes across the UK. This was a difficult decision to make for an organisation that has exercise at the core of its activities. People with Parkinson’s are our priority and so we did not hesitate to bring to our exercise classes online. We have a variety of online exercise classes with multiple ways in which you can access and get involved.
Parkinson’s Exercise Hub
Join our Parkinson’s Exercise Hub via Facebook to access our pre-recorded Parkinson’s Specialist Exercise classes by our instructors who usually run our classes across the UK. The classes are approximately 25-30 minutes long and include a wide range of activities including: Move and Shout, Chair-Based Yoga, Qigong, Tai Chi and Multimodal.
Like our Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/ParkinsonsCSUK
Join the Parkinson’s Exercise Hub:
Parkinson’s Facebook Exercise Hub
LIVE online Exercise Class
We are proud to be the first UK Parkinson’s charity to offer FREE LIVE online Exercise Classes for people with Parkinson’s. Don’t let the lockdown stop you from slowing down your Parkinson’s progression. Register to take part in our classes from the comfort of your home today!
BEAT BOX LIVE via ZOOM
Join us for Beat Box! Our new weekly online exercise class LIVE on ZOOM, every Thursday at 4pm.
Parkinson’s Care and Support UK are pleased to bring to you weekly Beat Box exercise classes where you practice non-contact boxing techniques to music! These are lively, High Intensity classes. Participants work on developing footwork for balance and agility without any risk of head trauma! Beat Boxing is associated with improvement in eye-hand Coordination and better balance. For people with Parkinson’s, balance is key.
Beat Boxing is a great aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise gets your heart pumping and helps lower the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. High intensity exercise like Beat Boxing helps your brain to increase the production of endorphins and dopamine- just what you need if you have Parkinson’s! It can strengthen bones and muscles, burn more calories and lift mood.
Come and join Parkinson’s Care and Support UK at BEAT BOX LIVE on ZOOM!
When: Every Thursday starting 16th April 2020
Time: 4.00PM GMT London
How: You must register in advance for this class:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAoceGqqDwoE9ZXH_oKLOHfVW7tA6uDj7Px
MINDFULNESS YOGA via ZOOM
Join us every Tuesday at 4pm for LIVE Mindfulness Yoga by our Parkinson’s Specialist Yoga Instructor, Charlotte Kahn.
With the current coronavirus pandemic, stress and anxiety levels are extremely high, especially for people with Parkinson’s. Around 40% of people with Parkinson’s will experience anxiety at some point during their illness and so it is super important that health and wellbeing is prioritised during this difficult time.
A clinical trial in Hong Kong has shown that Mindfulness Yoga can be beneficial in reducing anxiety amongst people with Parkinson’s. Mindfulness yoga mixes yoga with meditation and controlled breathing. It is different to many traditional yoga practices in that there is less of a focus on the exact posture achieved and more focus on body/mind awareness rather than the ‘perfect’ pose.
When: Every Tuesday from 21 April,04:00 PM (GMT) London
How: You must register in advance for this class:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUodeChqj4jHtG2A7T-oNTQbVSSahFdWbfs
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
For further information on any of our classes,please email exercise@parkinsonscare.org.uk
World Parkinson’s Day- LIVE Mindfulness Yoga via ZOOM!
Parkinson’s Care and Support UK are pleased to bring LIVE Mindfulness Yoga to the Parkinson’s community by our Parkinson’s Specialise Yoga Instructor, Charlotte Khan.
With the current coronavirus pandemic, stress and anxiety levels are extremely high, especially for people with Parkinson’s. Around 40% of people with Parkinson’s will experience anxiety at some point during their illness and so it is super important that health and wellbeing is prioritised during this difficult time.
A clinical trial in Hong Kong has shown that Mindfulness Yoga can be beneficial in reducing anxiety amongst people with Parkinson’s. Mindfulness yoga mixes yoga with meditation and controlled breathing. It is different to many traditional yoga practices in that there is less of a focus on the exact posture achieved and more focus on body/mind awareness rather than the ‘perfect’ pose.
We would like to invite you to take part in our Mindfulness Yoga session online via ZOOM on World Parkinson’s Day.
When:
Apr 11, 2020 04:00 PM (GMT) London
How:
You are register in advance for this class:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0ldOmsqDsuei6zVEnJ3rf_PaH6aBmetQ
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
For further information please email exercise@parkinsonscare.org.uk
Our Exercise Classes- Parkinson’s Exercise Hub
In following government guidelines on social distancing, we have stopped all of our face to face exercise classes and have replaced these with online classes.
To access our exercise services, please like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ParkinsonsCSUK where you can join our Parkinson’s Exercise Hub and access our class videos including Tai Chi, Qigong, Chair-based Yoga, Multimodal and Move and Shout.
Why don’t you take this opportunity to join our 2.5 Challenge LIVE on ZOOM at 11.30 am daily between 5th-9th of April as part of Parkinson’s Awareness Week. You will be able to take part in 30 minutes of high intensity exercise over 5 days with one of our instructors.
You will need to register to participate at: https://zoom.us/…/regist…/vpErcuiupzkjl4Xs-Fb0WdIdMHtj2sJ0Eg
Registration is now open for The Jubilee River Swim 2020!
We are excited to announce that Parkinson’s Care and Support UK, have places to offer for The Jubilee River Swim 2020! The Jubilee River Swim has become one of the countries favourite swims.
The man made flood relief channel between Boulters Lock nr Maidenhead and Pococks Lane in Eton is free from craft and is a convenient length at 10km! There are three weirs along the rivers length that break up the swim nicely, and you’ll find feed stations here.
Please note – this is a solo swim event, there is no relay option.
This is a great swim experience where swimmers take on the challenge of this beautiful 10km river and entrants can be as young as 13 years old!
This is one not to miss. Entries closed many months before the day so get your entry in early!
About this event
Date: Sunday June 07, 2020
Venue: Royal Windsor Racecourse
Maidenhead Road Windsor, United Kingdom SL4 5JJ
Parking: Yes
Registration Fee: £85
Minimum Sponsorship: £400
Register your interest now!
More Evidence that Parkinson’s Originates in the Gut -August 2019
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine conducted studies in mice to investigate whether the toxic misfolded alpha-synuclein protein, which is a hallmark of Parkinson’s, could travel along the vagus nerve, which runs like an electrical cable between the stomach and small intestine into the base of the brain.
This study was prompted by previous research by German neuroanatomist, Heiko Braak, that showed people with Parkinson’s had a build-up of the misfolded alpha-synuclein in parts of the central nervous system that control the gut. Evidence from this latest study showed that alpha-synuclein began building where the vagus nerve connected to the gut and continued to spread through all parts of the brain.
It also demonstrated that blocking the transmission route could be key to preventing the physical and cognitive manifestations of Parkinson’s.
“These findings provide further proof of the gut’s role in Parkinson’s disease, and gives us a model to study the disease’s progression from the start… This is an exciting discovery for the field and presents a target for early intervention in the disease,” Says Professor Ted Dawson, M.D. Ph.D, Director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Cell Engineering, Professor of Neurology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a member of CPT’s Linked Clinical Trials committee
The Importance of Microglia in the Parkinson’s brain- August 2019
Microglia are a crucial population of helper cells whose primary function is to act as resident immune cells within the brain. They function like a ‘special force’, linked to the body’s immune system. They deal with injury/infection in the brain and communicate with the immune system about how best to cope with a developing condition. When microglia sense trouble in the brain, they will start to evaluate whether the affected cells need to be killed off or nurtured back to health.
Researchers at the Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids (Michigan, USA) recently published a report demonstrating that microglia are significantly involved in the cell-to-cell transfer of the protein alpha-synuclein. This Parkinson’s-associated protein is believed to pass from one cell to another, and during this passage the alpha-synuclein begin to clump or aggregate within the cells. This process is how researchers believe the progressive nature of Parkinson’s is manifesting itself within the brain.
The Van Andel Institute researchers reported that the removal of microglia from the brain resulted in greater aggregation of alpha-synuclein, as did the hyperactivation of the microglia when a chemical used to induce inflammation was introduced. Their results suggest that under normal resting or ‘non-inflammatory’ conditions, microglia play an important role in modulating the transfer of alpha-synuclein in models of Parkinson’s.
Regulating microglia and neuroinflammation could represent a future avenue for limiting the progression of Parkinson’s – by reducing the spread of alpha-synuclein in the brain.