Tessie Aquilina who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease three years ago, has to ingest 22 pills each day, she told The Malta Independent.

Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination. Symptoms usually begin gradually and worsen over time. As the disease progresses, people may have difficulty walking and talking.

Aquilina still vividly remembers when doctors had informed her that she suffers from the incurable condition.

She decided to see a doctor upon returning from a vacation in Australia. She was feeling weak and had stomach issues.

Tessie and her husband didn’t think much about it and went to their family general practitioner, who then referred her to hospital for further testing.

Looking back, she remembers asking her doctor for the bathroom keys, and the same doctor noticing she was walking off balance. He asked her if the water behind her ears had moved, to which she replied in the negative.

It was at this instance that the doctor handed her the hospital referral, enclosed in an envelope. “At that moment I didn’t think much about it”.

On the day of her hospital checkup, unlike every event and appointment Tessie had ever had since her marriage, her husband could not attend as he was helping their son with some refurbishment works. During a particular test she was asked how long she had been suffering from tremors. Tessie had told them that she doesn’t remember, but that she had brushed off the symptoms as being caused by other medical conditions she suffers from.

She was asked whether she had someone with her, and she remembered that she would be seeing her husband only when he came for her after the hospital appointment.

“I’m sorry, but it is not because of that (other medical conditions), but you have Parkinson’s,” Tessie, who was visibly emotional, recalled the doctor informing her.

When her husband came for her, she told him. He was also shocked and encouraged her to go to their GP. Although also shocked, the doctor gave Tessie prescription drugs and told her to “start them immediately”.

Asked about the hospital appointment, she said: “the doctor told me that the only thing apart from therapy and medication that can be done for the condition, is a major operation to help prevent and reduce the number of falls”. However Tessie was also informed that this major operation would not be taking place any time soon, as she was still in the initial stages of Parkinson’s.

Since a year and a half ago, Tessie has been falling more frequently. “In total I think I have fallen around 30 times”.

She said that it is thanks to her family, who help her every day that she is able to live a life that is as close to normal as possible.

Tessie explained how her son, who is bigger in stature than her husband, now sleeps next to her in order to help her and try to prevent her from falling off her bed.

Step up for Parkinson’s

One day whilst at the hairdresser, Tessie was told that there was an organisation that offers music therapy for free for those diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

After a very long emotional telephone call, there was no looking back, as Tessie was now “part as a new family”.

“They are very nice people”, that’s how she describes the people working within the Step up for Parkinson’s organisation.

Step up for Parkinson’s is a “is a Voluntary Organisation that, through the Support of the Malta Community Chest fund and the Malta Memorial District Nursing Association is able to give free specialised dance classes to people with Parkinson's Disease”.

According to their Facebook page, the primary aim of the organisation is to improve the quality of life of people with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) through the provision of dance therapy in Malta and Gozo.

“The organisation’s secondary aims include: raising awareness of PD both within Malta and beyond; research into dance therapy techniques for People with Parkinson’s (PWPs); creating an international network of experts in PD and the use of dance therapy for PWPs.”

On Saturday, 5 November the organisation will be holding a fundraising marathon in order to be able to have its own Parkinson’s centre, as currently it is renting out places on a weekly basis.

This event will be spread over 12 hours and will be transmitted live on ONE.com.mt, NET Television and F-living.