“The Hand” – an extraordinary video about the hand as a metaphor for Parkinson’s

A thought-provoking video about living with early-onset Parkinson's disease. I published the video for the first time about a year ago. Thousands of new readers have now been added, from whom I don't want to withhold this small work of art.
Some of you will recognize your own hand as a metaphor for your illness.

Giving up is not an option

Here Gunnar with his 20 years Parkinson's in the neck, 49 years old, former export manager of the last coffee roasting company that remained from the GDR, art and culture café operator, member of the ALSO team (prevention against drugs and violence) .... and now early retirees.

And on the other hand I, with my 65 years and almost 4 years of Parkinson's experience, former manager and now editor of the Parkinson Journal, we could not be more different. And yet we are connected by an inner bond that almost everyone affected by Parkinson's knows.
The knowledge of the inexorable progression of the disease and the mantra many of us carry before us - "Giving up is not an option".

Parkinson's in Italy

As in Germany, there are also various self-help associations and contact points for people with Parkinson's in Italy. Massi is involved in two national associations, Parkinson Italia, an umbrella organization, and AIGP, an association for young patients, which Massi chairs. The organizations are currently working together to set up a national network in order to be able to bring certain topics to the public, but above all to politics, with more emphasis.

Taking care of young people is new in Italy. Nobody knows exactly how many young people with Parkinson's disease there are in Italy. Officially, no distinction is made according to age at diagnosis. The symptoms and course of the disease look very different in young people. Massi even goes so far as to say that young people with the disease are a completely different disease. The Association for Young Patients, which has offices in all parts of Italy, is working to collect this information and data in order to promote more differentiated care for patients.

Parkinson's and art

Parkinson's and creativity are closely related, as many have already noticed. Conversely, we didn't all become van Goghs and Frida Kahlos just because we had Parkinson's disease. What an idea! However, there is no denying that the desire to express oneself artistically and creatively remains strong among some people with Parkinson's.

Video of the week episode 3: My father

In this story, John Acheson's drawings help his 9-year-old daughter understand the effects of her Parkinson's disease. The story is based on conversations with her, things she has said or done over the past three years and is solely his interpretation. The red tulip (worldwide symbol of Parkinson's disease) grows from a bud to full bloom in the story and brings hope.

Video of the week, episode 2 The hand

A thought-provoking video about living with Parkinson's disease at a young age. Some of you will recognize your own hand as a metaphor for your illness.

The successful visual implementation comes from Brett Harvey, who spontaneously gave me the rights to create a German version.

Have fun discovering new perspectives. Jurgen Zender, 26.07.2022/XNUMX/XNUMX

Video of the week, episode 1 Dance with Parkinson's

Parkinson's knows no borders and so we occasionally take a look over the fence at our neighboring countries.

Is the incidence there the same as in Germany?
Is there a nationwide structure of self-help organizations?
How deep is the awareness of the problems of people with Parkinson's anchored in the population

THE DARK SIDE OF PARKINSON'S Episode 2 – The Loved Ones

Part 2 is about the personality changes that Parkinson's often causes and that can put relationships to a severe test.

THE DARK SIDE OF PARKINSON'S