“Exercising helps me stay in the moment rather than worrying about the future.”
When Stephanie was 57 her friends noticed subtle changes in her. Her face had become expressionless and the way she walked had changed. Soon after, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
Before she had time to come to terms with the diagnosis, Stephanie faced another challenge when two months later she was told she had breast cancer. The cancer treatment understandably took priority and her Parkinson’s diagnosis was pushed to the background for a while.
Once her cancer treatment ended, Stephanie began focusing on understanding Parkinson’s and what it might mean for the future. Information and support were hard to find and her first visits to local support groups felt overwhelming.
“I went to a couple of support groups, but it was too soon,” she says. “I sat there and looked around thinking – is this my future?”
“It was all too much, so I stayed away and simply put my head in the sand for quite some time.”
Later, Stephanie came across Reach Your Peak’s online exercise videos. “It sounded interesting and I liked that I could do the exercises at home,” she says.
Because Stephanie lives in an area with limited services for people with Parkinson’s, she values Reach Your Peak’s accessibility. She also appreciates their knowledge of Parkinson’s.
“It’s reassuring to have a direct line to people who really understand how you feel,” she says.
“They explain how exercise impacts Parkinson’s so clearly, and the workouts focus on real challenges like tremors, slowness and balance.”
Through regular exercise, Stephanie has noticed real improvements in her daily life. “Tying my shoelaces used to be difficult and take forever but it’s easier now,” she says.
“After I finish a session with Reach Your Peak, I feel tired but it’s a good tired. I feel more in control and my symptoms are better managed.
Stephanie says exercise has also brought structure and motivation to her days. “Reach Your Peak gives me a routine and that’s really important,” she says.
Alongside Reach Your Peak, Stephanie also enjoys Rock Steady Boxing, a fitness programme designed specifically for people with Parkinson’s. “It’s seriously therapeutic and great fun too,” she says.
Now that she’s had time to process her diagnosis, Stephanie has taken another inspiring step by running her own Parkinson’s support group. “Helping others and learning how they cope keeps me motivated,” she says.
If you’d like to find out more about Parkinson’s exercises to help manage your symptoms and live better, why not sign up to our Get Started programme?
You can also get a preview of what it’s like to exercise with us by watching one of our Parkinson’s exercise videos online.
