Festival for Parkinsons help group

Keen athlete Damian Gath set up his ADAPT (A Different Attitude for Parkinsons Treatment) project in in February.

Damian who lives in Ollerton said: “When I was diagnosed I needed help and I needed advice, but I wanted advice from someone who was experiencing or had experienced what I was going through.

At t the time I was very surprised to find it so difficult to connect to other people, not so surprising now as I have learned that it is estimated that only around 12,000 people in the UK are diagnosed and suffer with Parkinson’s disease under the age of 40.

“I attended ‘young person’s support groups’ to find I was often one of the youngest there, and by a significant number of years too.

So I simply started a ‘Facebook Page’ to try and connect to people of a similar age to talk about things like having a social life and a sex life.”

Damian says he has coped better than some because of his fitness and healthy lifestyle.

“The commitment and focus to help myself, which started as a tiny ripple suddenly has turned into this tidal wave.

” I realised it was no longer about me but about what I could give back to help other people who perhaps couldn’t or were not as fortunate as me.”

The Parkinsons charity festival Sun in the Park will be held at Forest Town Arena Mansfield on Saturday 25th July.

It is a one day family festival with a music stage children’s activities a funfair and fireworks display

There will be seven acts performing on the day. For more information visit websites www.adaptgroup.org.uk and www.suninthepark.org.