Saturday 18 June 2016

Rewind


A bit of background 


 I'm Madonna Brady, of Brisbane, Australia I'm a younger person living with Parkinson's Disease, Young at Park Support Group Leader, member of the Management Committee for Parkinsons Qld and a DJ on radioparkies.com 
I'm also an advocate for quality of life activities for people living with Parkinson's.  It was just over four years ago that I was diagnosed with idiopathic young onset disease. That seems so long ago, it was the very beginning of my education into PD, having no knowledge or experience of any neurological conditions, the search for what I could do to help myself had begun. 

 Knowledge is power
In 2013 I attended the Montreal World Parkinson's Congress, having written a paper on what I think was needed for my area, the paper was considered worthy of a travel grant. The poster version was displayed in the Poster Hall of the congress with hundreds of other posters from scientists, researchers, health specialists, people living with pd etc. Accessibility to Parkinson's specific exercise is still a very real issue when living well with PD, affordable activities in the community are essential and vital.
 
Last year at the Australian Parkinson's Conference, I was approached to become a DJ on the Belgium based web radio station Radioparkies.com and I have just celebrated the year with a 'Party Playlist' on my weekly Wednesday night radio show. Being a DJ is an amazing thing and I love it, there are highs and lows as with anything in life, but we must keep going. Keep playing the songs. I enjoy finding the songs, researching themes, having conversations with Parkies and people associated with Parkinson's about their lives and raising awareness by getting their stories broadcast on the world wide radio station. 

I believe music is a way to lift the mood, change the day and transport us to a different place.

I have written a new paper for the upcoming World Parkinson's Congress in Portland USA this September, it's about the use of Radioparkies Web radio station to entertain and inform people living with Pd. I have been awarded a travel grant from the WPC to attend the meeting and display the poster yet to be made. Speaking at PD support group meetings about the how to use the radio station and website is exciting and Ipswich was the first group in mid June 2016. Volunteering as a DJ in Radioparkies Booth at the Portland Convention Centre will be awesome.
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