Parkinson’s Disease boxing program to make debut in Lethbridge

Doan says the U of L is very interested in how vigorous exercise becomes a neuro-therapeutic strategy for people with Parkinson’s.

“We know that exercise has some really positive benefits both for the cardiovascular and the muscular system, but also for the nervous system and the brain as well. And we think that this exercise program gives people with Parkinson’s a chance to maintain their motor and cognitive skills and their independence, and enjoy healthy activity.

“We look at things like ‘reach to eat’ and what does the quality of that look like? Is it smooth, following typical patterns? And is that being improved by the exercise? We’ll look at things like balance, walking… and one of the tasks we’re thinking of trying out this time is a dressing task.

It’s about these daily activities of living, and how to skillfully maintain that.”

Doan says there will be some baseline testing completed on everyone in the program, and then at regular points in the program, they’ll be measured to see whether those simple task levels are being maintained or improved. And if there’s some improvement, where is it? And what can that tell them about the benefits of boxing for the brain?

Jean Madill was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease three years ago, and says she’s really looking forward to taking part in the program.

“I was suspicious I had something wrong with me, went to the doctor, and a family doctor in March of 2014, said ‘I think you have Parkinson’s.’ I was referred to the motion clinic and they definitely diagnosed me with it. The only thing I knew about it, was Michael J. Fox. Nobody in my family’s ever had it, and so it was a real shocker.”

At the time, she was working for Olds College and Red Deer College as Executive Director of Campus Alberta Central, and says it really started to bother her balance.

“You know, you go to put on a pair of pants and you end up almost face down in your walk-in closet. It started to bother in terms of the tremor. I would try to hide it. I would hold onto my left hand when I was at meetings so people wouldn’t notice.”

The Lethbridge Boxing Club program she says, is going to be a new experience.

“I read about the program on the internet, and got very interested, and started lobbying to say ‘is there some way,’ and I found a friend in Alica, and the more we read, the more we discovered how good it was for your body. And as a result, after a little more than a year, now we have it.”

She hopes the program will also attract more attention in the city, and get more people who suffer from the disease, to understand that there are support services and programs here for them.

“I’ve been certified by the province, and the Parkinson’s Association to work with these groups, and I’ve been a coach for four years,’ explains Christopher Campbell, who will be the head instructor, teaching the courses. “It’s really no different, than teaching any other athlete. You just have to make slight adjustments in your expectations, but you still push them the same, and you still work them through the same workouts.”

Campbell is an Alberta Winter Games Coach, and Assistant Coach at the Lethbridge Boxing Club, and says he hopes everyone in the program feels that it’s a place where they can come, work out, and get their frustrations out.

“The evidence from our sister gym up in Red Deer is that a year of working at this program, and there are obvious benefits. I’m going to have them come in, do a light warm up, do some general joking around, and then we’re going to get them into some circuit training.”

Campbell says that includes hitting the bags, light movement, hand-eye coordination, and he says he will change the contents of the class depending on the participants.

“Here, they can be athletes, not just patients.”

Classes take place beginning September 12, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. Those interested can contact the Alberta Parkinson Association of Alberta in Lethbridge at 403-317-7710.

There is a cost. Vicer says it’s $10 per class for members, and $12 per class for non-members or $180/ $206 for six weeks of classes.

So far, there are 10 people registered for the first set of classes.

Members pay a fee of $25 per year for quarterly newsletters, event discounts and other information.

by Lara Fominoff @fomsy1

Parkinson’s Disease boxing program to make debut in Lethbridge

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