Young@Park: The Young Onset Parkinson’s community unites in Bendigo
Sometimes the most important thing about a conference isn’t what you learn from the speakers, but who you meet along the way. This year, we decided to take the Young Onset Parkinson’s Conference out of Melbourne and head to Bendigo. Our hope was to make it easier for people living in regional and rural areas […]
Discovering the human endeavour: Steve’s powerful perspective on ‘Living Parkinson’s’
After receiving his diagnosis, it took two days for Steve to ‘Google’ the life expectancy of someone who lives with Young-Onset Parkinson’s, and two years to begin to proactively address his diagnosis, which he received in 2019 at the age of 55. As someone who was already focused on staying in shape and eating healthy […]
Parky Soccer: A social group rewriting the rules
Continued support through Fight Parkinson’s After receiving his diagnosis of Young-Onset Parkinson’s in 2010, Mark recalled attending an in-person ‘Recently Diagnosed Seminar’ held by Fight Parkinson’s—then known as Parkinson’s Victoria. Since this first interaction, Mark said that he and his wife have contacted Fight Parkinson’s on multiple occasions, for different reasons, but has always found […]
When Peter needed help, Fight Parkinson’s picked up the phone
Parkinson’s is the world’s fastest growing neurological condition, with symptoms progressing and changing over time. People like Peter rely on support made possible by good people like you—year after year. Donate now After experiencing an abundance of symptoms—like walking with his arms pinned by his sides, sticking out his chin, and slurring his speech—Peter was […]
Living with Young Onset Parkinson’s, the exhibition
While studying the experiences of people living with Young Onset Parkinson’s Lewis Johnstone found it was difficult for participants to always find the right words. In a bid to help find those words, he suggested people take photos of the everyday things in their life that reminded them of the condition. Soon he was presented […]
Early and Young Onset Parkinson’s – Science and Society
Dr Kishore Kumar spoke on the clinical considerations of Young Onset Parkinson’s at Fight Parkinson’s 2025 Research Symposium. His presentation was followed by a discussion on lived experience of Young Onset Parkinson’s with Sheenagh Bottrell and Parkinson’s nurse Victor McConvey. What age is young – a very important question The definition of Young or Early […]
Taking diagnosis head on from day one
To look at her life from the outside, Abby says there isn’t much that shows she has Parkinson’s, except her eagerness to tell everyone and anyone she meets. “I am not shy about sharing, if people ask me, I’ll tell them everything,” Abby said. “When I was diagnosed my neurologist was like, you can take […]
For Travis, a Young Onset Parkinson’s diagnosis led to him to new pathways
Travis’ Young Onset Parkinson’s diagnosis doesn’t stop him from living life how he wants to, but he admits it took him time to get to where he is now. After spending years finding a career path that felt right for him, Travis found home in the Australian Army. However, just five years into his role, […]
Defying Parkinson’s: Kylie Christian’s journey of resilience through para dressage
Kylie Christian’s passion for horse riding began at just eight years old when she received her first horse. However, the trajectory of her equestrian career took an unexpected turn when she was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s at 45. Kylie’s determination to not let Parkinson’s define her has made her a beacon of hope for […]
Research call-out: Gym-based strength training for people with early onset Parkinson’s
This type of progressive, weight-based strength training focuses on three large, multi-joint exercises used to build muscle strength and coordination: the squat, deadlift and bench press. The project has modified these exercises to ensure safety and allow adequate rest time. All gym sessions are supervised one-to-one by personal trainers who have been educated in safe […]