World Parkinson’s Day

11th April, 2012

I invite all Queenslanders to show their support for persons with Parkinson’s disease by joining the annual Parkinson’s QLD Unity Walk. The event will take place in Brisbane during Parkinson’s awareness week to raise awareness of Parkinson disease and the need for further research to be undertaken. This is an important cause for all of us to be involved.

I have walked for a few years and it is a great experience to share with people who really care.

Although many people are aware of Parkinson’s disease, too few people fully understand the impact of this disease on both individuals and their carers.

Parkinson’s is often perceived as being a disease of the elderly. However although Parkinson’s usually appears in people between the ages of 50 and 60, 20% of those who contract Parkinson’s are between the ages of 30 and 40. This introduces new challenges to support groups and management strategies as younger people who contract Parkinson’s may be raising children, paying off a mortgage or in the midst of advancing their career. These are challenges that can be overwhelming without proper support.

Parkinson’s is a complex chronic neurological condition which progressively disables patients.  The disease attacks the central nervous system with debilitating results impairing motors skills and speech. Because Parkinson’s affects people in different ways and because there are no simple blood or laboratory tests, it is difficult to diagnose. There is currently no known cure and the medicines available for managing the illness are highly potent, often causing further suffering on the part of the patient in the form of pain, anxiety and often depression. This pain and suffering are not limited to just patients, but their families and carers.

According to Deloitte Access Economics, there are currently 80,000 Australians suffering from Parkinson’s. For these people the costs of living with Parkinson’s are substantial. In 2011 the net value of burden from the disease was $7.6 billion. Across an average lifetime the financial cost for someone living with Parkinson’s is on par with the lifetime cost of cancer, at about $165 000.

In the face of these challenges Australian organisations must be congratulated for their tireless work and dedication. Parkinson’s Australia and Parkinson’s Queensland Inc and other affiliated organisations, provide crucial support for research, awareness and education. Parkinson’s Queensland have made an outstanding contribution to our State  and complement the work of health professionals by providing information and services to those Queenslanders diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.

World Parkinson’s Day and Parkinson’s Awareness Week are crucial to highlighting the importance of awareness and research into this illness. Fundraising events like this, along with other donations and bequests helped distribute over $150 000 to Queensland researchers for work on the treatment and management of Parkinson’s disease in 2010/11.

The importance of more research cannot be overstated. Investigating the causes of Parkinson’s is critical to developing better treatments and managements of the disease to improve quality of life for people living with Parkinson’s disease. In 2011 there were on average nearly 30 new diagnoses every day in Australia. Advancements in research can not come soon enough.

Senator Claire Moore

(Queensland)