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 to attend, as travelling to Melbourne isn’t always possible, particularly when you are juggling work, family and life with Parkinson’s.

The Conference began on Friday afternoon with ‘Your Care, Your Choice’ – a seminar presented by Fight Parkinson’s. It provided practical information about navigating the health system, understanding available services and knowing where to get the right care and support from.

That evening, we held a Welcome Dinner. For some, it was the first opportunity to meet face-to-face, and it was wonderful to see conversations starting and new friendships forming. The evening included a few lucky door prizes, plenty of laughter and, perhaps bravely, I performed a poem I had written about life with Parkinson’s called, ‘The Parky Bunch’.

A day of learning, sharing and connection

Saturday morning got off to an excellent start with a special welcome video from Professor Bas Bloem in the Netherlands. From there, we had a wonderful line-up of speakers, all of whom generously gave their time and expertise, on a Saturday, no less!

We heard about treatment approaches specifically relevant to Young Onset Parkinson’s (YOPD), artificial intelligence and digital technology, sleep and the importance of exercise. Partners and carers also had their own session, focusing on the often-overlooked importance of taking care of themselves.
The afternoon program continued with a presentation from Fight Parkinson’s CEO, Emma Collin, followed by sessions on managing insurance and superannuation, the NDIS and some of the challenges faced by people with YOPD, including the relatively low number of people within this cohort currently accessing the scheme.

We finished the formal program with a question-and-answer session. By then, though, I think everyone was more than ready to put the microphones away and simply spend time chatting with each other.

More than just a conference

One of the highlights of the weekend was a photographic exhibition, ‘Living with Young Onset Parkinson’s’. The exhibition was thought-provoking and gave another perspective on what it means to live with Parkinson’s at a younger age.

For me, the real measure of the Conference’s success was seeing new faces. Every time someone walked through the door who I hadn’t met before, I felt that we had achieved something important.

Young Onset Parkinson’s can be an isolating experience. You can feel as though you are the only person your age dealing with a progressive neurological condition while trying to maintain a career, raise a family, manage relationships and simply get on with life.

That is why events like the Young Onset Parkinson’s Conference are so important.

It provides an opportunity to:

• Learn and ask questions
• Share experiences
• Laugh at the things only another person with Parkinson’s would understand
• Realise that you are not alone.

Stronger together

I think the words from ‘The Parky Bunch’ sum up the weekend perfectly:

“When the future feels uncertain and confusing
and the road ahead is harder than we planned,
we can lean upon each other for encouragement,
knowing someone always understands.”

We’ve learned that strength isn’t about perfection. It’s about getting up and trying again. And every challenge we face becomes a little lighter when it is shared with a circle of good friends.

That, for me, is what Young@Park is all about.