‘They saved my dad’s life – now I want to do the same for others’

A mum has shared how her dad’s life was ‘saved’ by a local sports club.

Les Darvill, 66, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease when he was 58 years old after he began experiencing tremors.

The news shook his confidence, and the grandad isolated himself at home.

His daughter, Gemma Darvill, saw that a local walking football club had open spaces and decided to take her dad along.

The 36-year-old mum saw her dad go from strength to strength at the club and credits it with saving his life.

Speaking about her dad’s diagnosis, Gemma said: “His only symptom was a tremor. He went to the doctor and was told he had Parkinson’s, 66 Les Darvill

“He really struggled with the diagnosis and wouldn’t leave the house for a long time.

“He hid away and didn’t tell anyone. We then found this walking football team called ‘Fighting Fit’.

“I said ‘come on dad what have you got to lose?’

“I genuinely believe it saved his life. He now goes once a week and enters all the tournaments and that’s how I got involved with the Pioneers.”

Gemma was then approached to help kickstart a women’s walking football club for females with Parkinson’s disease.

The primary school teacher now travels from her home in Milton Keynes to Solihull once a month to help run the club.

She said: “A lady wanted to start her own female team and asked if I could help. It’s now three years ago and we’re still going strong.”

Gemma has a background in sport as she used to work as a PE teacher before changing roles to a primary school teacher when her four-year-old son, Hudson, began his education.

The mum helped to start Parkinson’s Pioneers Women’s Walking Football Community, which meets at Solihull Football Centre as it is a central location for participants all over the UK.

“It’s a safe social place for them all,” Gemma said. “They can support each other and it can be a lifeline for them.”

The women range in age from their 30s to their 80s.

“They come from all over from Devon to Manchester, all over the country,” Gemma said.

She is now working as head coach and manager for Parkinson’s England Walking Football Team and hopes to take them to Canada in September.

A GoFundMe page has been launched to raise funds for the trip.

“We’re taking them out there to show people in Canada how exercise can help with the symptoms of Parksinson’s,” she said.

“I’ve never been one to want to do a GoFundMe but sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

“It is for a good cause. If anyone out there is living with Parkinson’s and wants to join us, please do.

“We also have contact with men’s teams. If there are men with Parkinson’s who don’t know where to go we can help to source them a team.”

Gemma’s son, Hudson, will also be accompanying the team to Canada sporting his ‘mascot’ t shirt he wears to each meet-up.

DONATE NOW TO Take Parkinson’s Awareness Global –From England to Canada: https://www.gofundme.com/f/take-parkinsons-awareness-global-from-england-to-canada

Source: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/saved-dads-life-now-want-043100837.html

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