An Essex man living with Parkinson’s disease has shared how he first began to show symptoms when his hand froze during an exam. Gary Lee, from Harold Hill in Havering, has been living with the disease for 16 years and has now started a monthly table tennis group to prevent isolation for others with the condition.
Gary has shared how he has previously experienced isolation, depression and anxiety since he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, which is a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination. He is part of a joint effort behind Bat and Chat, a monthly group in Harold Hill funded by Parkinson’s UK and Table Tennis England.
Talking about the origins of his diagnosis, Gary said: “I was diagnosed in 2007, but in hindsight, I probably had symptoms of Parkinson’s a few years before actual diagnosis. My writing hand froze during a degree exam, it was quite devastating.
