There are diseases that we know of but shun away from. The reason could be stigma but more often than not, it’s the idea that a condition can’t cripple us — at least not up till a certain age. A day ahead of World Parkinson’s Day, we shine a light on the manifestations of Young-Onset Parkinson’s disease (YOPD). Signs of the disease can be spotted even among people below 40 years. Dr Maria Barretto, chief executive officer, Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Society (PDMDS), notes, “It’s hard to say if there is an increase in the incidence of YOPD or if people are more aware to step forth and understand its workings. We [at PDMDS] started our young-onset group in 2018 when we were approached by a victim of YOPD about the varied problems of accessing our community gatherings. Firstly, being young, they could not relate to the group. Secondly, the interventions were directed at late-onset people. And the young sufferers had jobs while the sessions were held during the day.” 

Support groups make patients feel that they are not alone in the fight. Representation Pic