A local support group is sponsoring an event they’re calling “Promenade The Park For Parkinson’s Awareness” this Saturday morning (April 22nd).
It’s set for Washington Park from 10 a.m. until Noon and will be held rain or shine.
Allan Brixius, the secretary of the Manitowoc County Parkinson’s Disease Support Group, an outreach program of the Manitowoc Senior Center, tells Seehafer News, “Parkinson’s is a disorder of the central nervous system that affects movement often including tremors. There’s nerve cell damage in the brain that causes the dopamine levels to drop and that leads to the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.”
There is no cure for the disorder and the cause remains largely unknown but treatment options vary including medications and surgery.
Parkinson’s itself is not fatal, however, the disease complications can be serious.
Brixius, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s himself in 2014, spoke about the theme of Saturday’s event, locally.
“I just tried to come up with a slogan that was alliterative and it kind of stuck,” he explained. “We’re using just the perimeter of Washington Park because of our mobility issues.”
Allan said members of the Lasallian Student Youth Group at Roncalli High School will provide assistance.
“My goal there was there to have assistance needed for mobility issues or wheelchairs that the caregiver of the Parkinson’s patient could walk side by side and share the event, instead of always being behind and pushing,” he explained. “So this way they can promenade the park hand in hand with assistance from the students doing the pushing of the walkers or wheelchairs.”
Brixius says the community is welcome to come out and walk, pledge money and support Parkinson’s awareness and research.
The so-called “Dollars for Dopamine” raised this Saturday’s event at Washington park will stay locally to benefit the Manitowoc County Parkinson’s Disease Support Group, which meets every 3rd Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. at the Manitowoc Senior Center.