Alun Morgan speaks to the House of Lords about Parkinson's
17 April 2012
Our Trustee from
Wales, Alun Morgan, spoke to MPs and Peers at the House of
Lords today about his story of living with Parkinson's.
The event at the House of Lords was organised by the European Parkinson's Disease
Association (EPDA) and Abbott (an international
healthcare company).
Alun, 62, was diagnosed age 49. Alun
first noticed symptoms 2 years earlier but the GP didn't
recognise them as Parkinson's.
Alun told Peers how he felt when he was diagnosed in 1999:
"I thought the diagnosis marked the end of my life. I imagined
that within 5 years I would be an old man."
But far from it. After leaving work as a teacher, Alun realised
he didn't know anyone with Parkinson's and joined his local
support group in Bridgend, Wales.
Keeping active
Now, Alun is the Trustee from Wales
for Parkinson's UK and the secretary of the Bridgend Coalition of
Disabled People. He keeps himself active with Pilates, walking and
improves his coordination with Nintendo
Wii bowling.
Alun is also undertaking a project to photograph all the
Monkey-puzzle
trees in South Wales.
Alun told the audience in the Lords:
"The journey of my life with Parkinson's mirrors the tides of
the sea. After the diagnosis I felt my life was on the ebb, I felt
I was swimming against the stream. As the medication began to work,
the tide turned.
After 13 years of living with Parkinson's, how can it be right that I could lose what enables me to have quality of life now and in the future?
Alun Morgan, Wales Trustee
Alun on changes to benefits
Alun highlighted about his anxieties around the loss of support
for disabled people due to changes in benefits:
"After 13 years of living with Parkinson's, how can it be right
that I could lose what enables me to have quality of life now and
in the future?
"To be blunt the aim of these changes has very little to do with
targeting the most needy disabled but more to do with saving money
at the expense of the most vulnerable in society."
Read our news story we did back in January: Government plans to squeeze 'PIP's from half a
million disabled people.
Finding a cure for Parkinson's
It's so important that Peers and MPs hear the stories from people affected by Parkinson's in person.
Drew Lindon, Parliamentary Officer
However, like Parkinson's Awareness
Week, Alun is focused on the future:
"I am not brave. I do not want sympathy. I want a cure in my
LIFETIME."
Drew Lindon, our Parliamentary Officer said:
"Alun is a powerful speaker and he speaks from experience. Only
someone who has experienced the effects of Parkinson's can truly
show and tell you how much we need change.
"It's so important that Peers and MPs hear the stories from
people affected by Parkinson's in person."
Share your story and tell us
what a cure for Parkinson's would mean to you.
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