By Luke Voogt
East Geelong father-of-four Howard Philpott was 48 when he discovered he had Parkinson’s disease and his youngest daughter was just eight.
“It’s looked at as a disease of ageing,” Howard, now 56, said.
“Most people with Parkinson’s disease are in their [60s or older]. But there are people being diagnosed at a younger age.”
The former goal umpire was at training in 2012 when he noticed his left arm was “not working”.
“That was a bit strange and I thought I might have had a stroke or something,” he said.
Following testing, a neurosurgeon diagnosed him with the degenerative nervous system disorder.
“There was a bit of disappointment, obviously, but there was also this realisation that, ‘life has thrown this at me, now we can move forward’,” he said.
“I think the wife was probably relieved. It at least gives a label to what you’ve got and you can work around that.”
He now has implants that electronically stimulate his brain to block the abnormal nerve signals that cause tremors and symptoms during “flare ups”.
“At various times things will suddenly get worse,” he explained.
Howard volunteers for Walk in the Park Geelong, recently cancelled due to COVID-19 after raising $35,000 in two years for Parkinson’s Victoria, according to organiser Kirsten George.
She, Howard and event ambassador and Lara MP John Eren, who recently shared his Parkinson’s diagnosis, are instead encouraging locals to join the 27forParkinson’s challenge.
Howard is looking forward to the challenge, which involves walking for 27 days in October for the 27,000 Victorians with Parkinson’s.
“It will be a challenge but it’s something to aim for,” he said.
Details: parkinsonswalkgeelong.com.au
