Orange Parkinson's Support Group has named Blooms the Chemist owner and pharmacist Melanie Moses as its community hero for 2021.
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The support group announced its community hero as part of its commemoration for World Parkinson's Awareness Month.
Throughout April, Parkinson's NSW has been bringing attention to the progressive, degenerative condition of the central nervous system, which has unknown causes and a cure has not yet been found.
Orange support group leader Bernie Duffy said Miss Moses and her staff at Blooms the Chemist have been strong supporters of the group for more than six years.
"Most recently, she has given us space for an information table at the pharmacy throughout April - World Parkinson's Awareness Month," he said.
Mr Duffy said in addition to helping people with Parkinson's disease at the pharmacy, Miss Moses also attends support group meetings, has been to Christmas lunches, donates and featured in a calendar in 2019.
Miss Moses said she was was inspired to help the group due to having a family member with Parkinson's.
The Parkinson's Community Hero Program was run across the state by Parkinson's NSW which invited more than 90 Parkinson's Support Groups to nominate individuals and groups that have made contributions to improve the lives of people living with Parkinson's as their community heroes.
Nominations across the state included Members of Parliament, health practitioners, community organisations, and fundraisers.
Mr Duffy said Parkinson's is more prevalent than many common cancers - including prostate, breast, colorectal, and lung cancers in Australians over 50.
"Yet despite cancers being declared a National Health Priority Area for federal and state governments, Parkinson's is not," he said.
"Diagnosis of Parkinson's can take years, and people can live with it for decades. That makes supporting wellbeing and independence priorities for people living with this misunderstood disease."
Symptoms include tremors, slow movement, stiffness, and loss of balance, as well as fatigue, apathy, depression, disturbed sleep, loss of sense of smell, and issues with speech and swallowing. Symptoms can be managed with medication, exercise and other forms of therapy and support.
Parkinson's NSW has four specialist nurses in regional NSW and hopes to have another five nurses in regional NSW by 2022.
There are currently 33 members on the Orange Parkinson's Support Group mailing list with between 15 and 20 regular members who attend the group's meetings.
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