Parkinson's UK
Parkinson’s affects one person in every 500 or 127,000 people each year in the UK. Rosemary went to meet Mark Hoar, a previous member of the Devon and Cornwall police who was diagnosed at the age of 39 but is now a strong campaigner for Parkinson’s UK.
As Mark Hoar welcomes me in I find it difficult to believe he has Parkinson's. He makes me a cup of tea with apparent ease - there is no sign of the hand tremor that can often be associated with Parkinson's. Later on though, he shows me a video clip of his hands shaking uncontrollably and explains how he underwent brain surgery for a process called deep brain stimulation* which overrides the false signals sent out in his body and allows him to live a relatively normal life. After the operation he had to wait three months before the pulse generator was switched on; at the flick of a switch his hands stopped shaking instantly and he and his wife were both in tears as the impact of the 'miraculous' transformation sank in. And this is why Mark has become a passionate supporter for Parkinson's UK and trained as a Volunteer Speaker and Ambassador so that he can share his life experience with others. He is one of only five volunteer speakers in the South West and presents a fascinating and compelling account of his experiences and the work of Parkinson's UK to any group or society looking for a guest speaker with a very personal approach.
Parkinson's affects one person in every 500 which means that a lot of people may not even know someone with the condition. However one in 500 equates to approximately 127,000 people in the UK, which is a sizeable number of people who struggle every day with the symptoms of Parkinson's. Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition caused when nerve cells in the brain die and an insufficient amount of the chemical dopamine is produced. Dopamine allows messages to be sent to the parts of the brain that co-ordinate movement. People affected can experience tremor, rigidity and slowness of movement, as well as many other symptoms, such as tiredness, pain, depression, memory loss and bowel problems. There are a several types of Parkinson's and the symptoms vary, so individual experiences can be quite different. However there are two consistent facts: there is currently no cure for Parkinson's and it is not yet known why people get the condition. This is where the research work of Parkinson's UK is so vital in terms of understanding why the nerve cells die and what factors might be involved. Although the causes of certain types of parkinsonism have been identified, the cause of Parkinson's itself is still unknown and it is essential to know what causes certain nerve cells in the brain to die (in Parkinson's) in order to find a cure.
Mark's quality of life has improved dramatically as a result of surgery, but the same technique cannot benefit everyone with Parkinson's. He also has 'good days and bad days' and still has to deal with exhaustion, memory loss and other symptoms which can be alleviated by drugs but not cured. Before his diagnosis of Parkinson's, Mark had a very promising career in the Devon and Cornwall Police. However at the age of 39 early symptoms of the condition started to appear; when Parkinson's eventually began to affect his role, the police force was extremely supportive and moved him to a new communications department, enabling him to continue working for another five years. However two years ago he realised he needed to make some life changes and took early retirement, enabling him to concentrate on helping to raise public awareness about the need for further research into Parkinson's .... and persuade his wife they needed a dog!
Mark has raised thousands by abseiling down the side of Derriford Hospital and organising charity golf days with his friend Patrick Stewart, who also has Parkinson's; the funds have contributed to providing two dedicated Parkinson's nurses at Derriford to help treat patients with this debilitating condition. However his dearest wish would be that the next generation could be spared from Parkinson's altogether.
Mark would be delighted to be invited to community groups as a guest speaker to raise awareness about Parkinson's or please contact him regarding fundraising events on behalf of Parkinson's UK at mhoar@parkinsons.org.uk
The Tavistock Parkinson's Support Group meets at The Anchorage Centre, Chapel Street, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 8AG. If you would like to know more about Parkinson's, make a donation or become a volunteer please visit www.parkinsons.org.uk
*Deep brain stimulation involves implanting very fine wires into the brain. The wires have electrodes at their tips and are connected to a pulse generator (a device like a pacemaker), which is placed under the skin around the chest or stomach area. When the device is switched on, the electrodes deliver high frequency stimulation to the targeted area, overriding some of the electrical signals in the brain which cause Parkinson's symptoms.