The Parkinson’s Support Group established in Osoyoos and Oliver is inviting those with the disease, their loved ones and caregivers as well as members of the general public to a special event designed to increase public awareness of what Parkinson’s is.

On Sunday, March 22, the support group has organized An Evening With Parkinson’s at the Oliver Alliance Church beginning at 6 p.m.

“We hope to help our friends appreciate how the experience of Parkinson’s disease impacts us and ways we can learn to live with the diseases,” said support group spokesperson Carol Freeman.

The focal point of the evening will be the showing of the film called Undefeated, which was recently produced by the Parkinson’s Society of British Columbia.

“This is a positive film that documents the struggles and victories of a number of people who share their story about their struggles with Parkinson’s disease,” said Freeman, whose husband Rod was diagnosed with the illness six years ago.

The film will be followed by a “community roundtable” featuring those with Parkinson’s, supporters and caregivers, local physicians and pharmacists, she said.

Undefeated: An Intimate Portrait of Parkinson’s, is a 60-minute documentary that provides a unique glimpse into the challenges and triumphs faced by five individuals living with the disease.

One of the men featured in the documentary is B.C. lawyer Bob Kuhn, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s back in 2006. He remains fully engaged as a lawyer and regularly blogs about his experience with Parkinson’s at positivelyparkinsons.blogspot.ca

Kuhn is a World Parkinson Congress ambassador and regular contributor to the society’s quarterly newsletter called Viewpoints.

Also featured in the film is Wendy Olinger, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at age 53. Olinger is no stranger to the effects of neurological disorders as her mother suffers from tremors and her grandmother had the tremor often called “bobblhead”.

Olinger is a member of the Parkinson’s Society of B.C. and successfully organized the first Parkinson Super Walk in Kelowna, an event she continues to assist in organizing each year.

April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month across Canada and the local support group in Osoyoos and Oliver is pleased to have organized a community event that will hopefully attract a large crowd on March 22, said Freeman.

“We have a small support group of about 10, but we want to be proactive and hopefully attract more members,” she said. “We want people to know there is support for them in our small communities and there are others going through the same thing as them.

“We want people to know you can have a good quality of life once you’re diagnosed with Parkinson’s and that it’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Those planning to attend the event on March 22 are asked to confirm their attendance with Freeman by calling her at 250-498-8427 or by email at [email protected].

The local support group meets during the first Monday of each month at the Sunnybank Senior Care home on Park Drive in Oliver.

For the past two months, free Tai Chi lessons have been offered at the Osoyoos Health Care Clinic and there has been tremendous response to these classes, she said.

“Tai Chi can really make a positive difference for those with Parkinson’s and it definitely helps with their movement and muscle control,” she said.

Freeman is hoping a good crowd will show up on Sunday and is confident there will be a lot of good information shared throughout the evening.

KEITH LACEY

Osoyoos Times