After being diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s (YOP) in November 2023, Jenny Galdamez felt lost.
Jenny, who was 42 at the time, started experiencing tremors, muscle stiffness and slow movement, the telltale signs of Parkinson’s, about six months prior.
But given her young age, Jenny struggled to accept that anything was wrong, until finally she got the diagnosis.
Jenny said being diagnosed with YOP left her feeling “devastated”, but she was determined not to let it beat her.
“I thought I can’t just sit here and dwell on it,” she said.
Jenny Galdamez and Amy kreminski at Be Well Studio in Adelaide.
“I was introduced to Bikram yoga when I was 26 and did that for about four years casually. My instructor, Amy kreminski, is passionate about it and its benefits, and so I thought ‘why don’t I see what it does for me.’”
Yoga can help improve balance, mobility and strength, with research showing this can be beneficial for people living with Parkinson’s.
Jenny started regularly attending Amy’s classes at Be Well Studio in June last year, taking about two months of hard work before she started to see some progress.
Since then, she’s been able to better manage her symptoms and halve her medication dosage.
“I’m in the best shape mentally, emotionally and physically than I’ve ever been before,” Jenny said.
“I used to have tremors a lot, but I hardly see them now because there’s been a massive reduction. I’m able to balance properly now, in terms of movement I’m not stiff anymore, and I can even brush my hair again.
“Mentally it has helped me a lot, I’m not depressed anymore and my anxiety has reduced. It has changed my life.”
Year-long fundraiser for Parkinson’s awareness
Jenny performs a ‘standing bow’ pose.
Motivated to give back, Jenny has challenged herself to do Bikram yoga every day in 2025, with the added goal of raising funds for The Hospital Research Foundation Group (THRFG) – Parkinson’s.
Jenny got in touch with THRFG – Parkinson’s early in her Parkinson’s journey, receiving ongoing support from our Wellbeing Officers.
So when the idea of ‘Challenge 365’ began to take shape, Jenny knew instantly who she wanted to partner with.
“I have been going through an NDIS application and the Wellbeing team have been incredible,” she said.
“The way they interacted, engaged and emphasised with me, they understood the condition and they have been there for me. That was the first thing that came into my mind, so it just made sense.”
‘Challenge 365’ is about educating the community about the benefits of Bikram yoga and raising awareness for Parkinson’s.
Anyone can take part in ‘Challenge 365’ and Jenny said she hoped it would help promote the benefits of yoga and exercise for people with Parkinson’s.
You can donate to ‘ Challenge 365’ by clicking here and keep up to date with Jenny’s progress on Facebook and Instagram.
