2 weeks Ago By Simon McCarthy
When Stephanie Long watched her mother struggle to come to grips with her diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, she remembers a feeling of isolation. Login or signup to continue reading "Going into any medical appointment is so bizarre anyway," Ms Long said. "But being told that you have this new thing - and there's not really much else to do - it's just, 'OK, be on your way and we'll see you in this amount of time'.
It was very isolating." When her mother Liane was diagnosed three years ago, she remembers her retreating. Her mother stopped exercising and seeing her friends, she lost her confidence to drive and became sad and anxious about what the diagnosis meant and what could happen, Ms Long said.
She had only just turned 56. "It is one of those illnesses that you really have no idea what is going to happen," Ms Long said of her mother. "That fear of the unknown .
.. I cannot imagine what it was like to have that come upon you.
" Desperate to do something to help her mum reclaim her old self, Ms Long set about her mission. About a year ago, she arranged to have a group of friends and family meet up for a walk in solidarity with her mum and get her back in the world. "It did take Mum, and all of us, quite some time to really understand and get on the right, positive footing," she said.
"Mum was not exercising, and it was that vicious cycle of not wanting to do anything, and then that makes everything worse, so I surprised her with the event last year. A couple of months before, I said we were training every day, getting out and walking. It was just something to get her out and moving and realise that it was going to be OK.
" It had the desired effect - Mrs Long was surrounded by friends and others who came forward to share their experiences with the illness, and she realised she was not alone. "It really took away that idea that we were alone and brought everyone together," Ms Long said. "We had so many strangers, friends, family members come forward and speak, and Mum's friends from primary school; she's now kept in touch with them every weekend since the last event.
" Ms Long moved to Newcastle about five years ago and, on Sunday, mother and daughter will repeat the walk from Queens Wharf to Bar Beach in a show of support for those with Parkinson's, and to raise awareness. Mrs Long was said to already be well into preparations to reunite with friends in Newcastle. "She's not even staying with me, which is hilarious," Ms Long said.
"She has arranged an AirBNB and is staying with all her friends - she can't wait." "She is a very selfless person, so it's nice to take that step back and not think about the sad parts of what she has had to deal with. Make it positive.
" The 'good vibrations' walk will start at 10am on the beach side of the Queens Wharf Hotel and trek around to Bar Beach Bowling Club for a social afternoon, raising funds for the charity Shake It Up Australia. Reporter, Newcastle Herald. Reporter, Newcastle Herald.
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