Jess' silver lining
In 2018, Jess was enjoying her life when she felt a niggling pain in her left shoulder blade. Her right arm was heavy, and her right hand a little hard to use.
Three years later her journey with Parkinson’s officially began.
“I’ve found my silver lining…No matter what Parkinson’s takes from me I know I’ve got this.”
Jess initially thought the pain she was feeling may have been from a pinched nerve. She was surprised when her GP sent her to a neurologist for further testing. She was only 40 years old.
Three years later, after MRIs showed an abnormality on the left side of her brain, and the final piece of the puzzle came with genetic testing, Jess was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
“I don’t think there’s anything that could have prepared me for the moment I realised that Parkinson’s was going to be in my life forever.”
Jess has pushed herself to change her mindset, reminding herself that she can’t fix things, but she can manage them. Despite the uncertainty of the future, she thanks Parkinson’s for the things she has learnt about herself, the new skills she has uncovered, and the amazing people that have come into her life.
Some days Jess struggles to put earrings in, get her hair in a ponytail, do her makeup, or button her jeans. It’s her resilience and unwavering courage that get her through these hard moments.
“I’ve been really lucky and I’ve done so much in my life, but still, there’s all these things I still want to achieve.”
Jess has since created a ‘no more bleeps to give’ list with the support of her friends, who have each added something they hope to do together.
Throughout every moment of her journey, from turning a dyskinesia on the streets of Melbourne into an impromptu dance-off with friends, to prioritising rest amongst her busy schedule, Jess finds a way to bring joy and compassion into her everyday.
“I wouldn’t take my Parkinson’s away now – it’s changed me and made me who I am.”
Today, Jess leads a full life, balancing her busy schedule of appointments and commitments, attending regular sessions at the Brain x Body Fitness Studio, and raising awareness of Parkinson’s through her story of incredible resilience and courage.
“For me, Parkinson’s is out of my control, but the thing we can control is investment in research.”
“It means so much to me that people want to help find a cure.”
Your donation this festive season will bring hope and healing to even more South Australians just like Jess, and fight for better treatments for people living with Parkinson’s.
