Victoria Walker

Donations

On the 18th July I’ll be doing the Parkinson’s UK walk to raise money for a charity that has been invaluable with advice and resources since my Dad’s diagnosis. 

Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological disorder where nerve cells in the brain die, causing a lack of dopamine. Symptoms include (but are not restricted to): Tremors, stiffness, slow movement,  freezing, depression and anxiety , difficulty eating and swallowing, slurred/muffled speech, loss of smell, sleeping problems, digestive issues. 

It affects every aspect of life and for those caring for someone with this disease, it is extremely difficult to watch. Thanks to the likes of Michael J Fox and Ozzy Osbourne, Parkinson’s was brought into the limelight and awareness has increased since the 90’s. But funds are still needed to find a cure. 

To aid my appeal for donations, I’d like to share a poem that was written by a member of the Parkinsons’s UK Facebook group. A Community of wonderfully strong and supportive people that bravely share their struggles (and their triumphs) with the disease. 

I See It in Me

I walk through the day as the man I’ve always known,

Steady in thought, in voice, in tone.

The world feels normal beneath my feet,

Each step familiar, each breath complete.

But then a mirror catches me unaware,

A flicker of truth in the glassy stare.

A tremor dancing where stillness should be,

And suddenly… I see it in me.

Or a video plays from moments before,

A stranger moves like I never saw.

A hand that shakes, a shoulder tight—

A quiet change brought into light.

Inside I feel the same old soul,

Still steering steady, still in control.

Yet reflections whisper what I rarely see,

A silent truth staring back at me.

But mirrors show only the outer frame,

Not the will, not the fire, not the flame.

For what lives deeper, strong and free,

Is far greater than what the mirror sees.

So let the glass tell what it may be—

For the man I know… still lives in me

- UnforgettablePhoenix 

I still see my dad when I look at him. His eyes may be glassy and vacant sometimes and his hands may shake, but I still see him. He may mumble an incoherent sentence or shuffle and stumble, but I still see my dad. He still paints to the best of his ability, he still swears like a sailor and he still offers me unwavering support and love, despite some days being a lot harder than others. I still see my dad, no matter how much Parkinson’s disease tries to stand between us. 

Please consider donating. Even if it’s just £1. And don’t forget to tick that Gift Aid box. If you’re a UK taxpayer, Parkinson’s UK can reclaim 25p for every £1 you donate 🖤