The first-ever Parkinson’s Community Walk for Great Bend got people moving Saturday as they learned more about Parkinson’s Disease.

Organizer Jack Bowman, with help from Juvenile Services, invited people to walk a few laps around the courthouse square. They also provided water and information. Two highlights of the first-ever event were a free tai chi and yoga class, presented by Dee Krier of the Great Bend Rec, and a free cardio boxing class presented by Christopher Flores, who brought equipment from Central Plains Karate. Both tai chi and cardio boxing entail movements that are helpful to those with Parkinson’s and in fact are beneficial to anyone of any age, Bowman said.

Saturday’s event was a fundraiser but its primary purpose was to create awareness about Parkinson’s Disease.

“I met a gal who was recently diagnosed and she didn’t know where to go for help. That kind of jumpstarted everything to get this walk going,” Bowman said.

“No matter what your issue is, there are community resources available,” Bowman said. “We live in a great place where people are willing to step up and help each other out.” As a program advocate for Juvenile Services, he also wanted to pass that message along to young people and give them a chance to invest back in their community with a service project.

Early warning signs

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that causes a gradual loss of brain cells that produce dopamine, a chemical necessary for movement.

Bowman said an early symptom for him was small, cramped handwriting. While it can be normal for writing to change as you get older, handwriting that has gotten much smaller than it was in the past is one of the 10 most common warning signs listed by the Parkinson’s Foundation.

Others are tremors, loss of smell, trouble moving or walking, trouble sleeping, constipation, dizziness or fainting, and stooping or hunching over. If you’ve been told that you have a serious, depressed or mad look on your face, even if you are not in a bad mood, you should ask your doctor about Parkinson’s Disease. Another early sign may be a change in your voice – are people often telling you that your voice is very soft or that you sound hoarse?

The Parkinson’s Foundation notes that no single one of these signs means you should worry about having Parkinson’s Disease, but if you have more than one sign, you should consider making an appointment to talk to your doctor. It can be hard to tell if you or a loved one has Parkinson’s Disease. Symptoms generally develop slowly over years and the progression of symptoms is often different from person to person.

Resources

For more information contact the Parkinson’s Foundation, Parkinson.org; email helpline@parkinson.org or call the helpline: 800-473-4636.

Other resources can be found at The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and the Muhammad Ali Parkinson’s Center.