Knocking out Parkinson’s
Society members try Rock Steady Boxing for the first time
Islanders living with Parkinson’s take part in free boxing event aimed at having them socialize and getting them active Saturday in Travellers Rest.
Rock Steady Boxing is like stepping into a ring with Parkinson’s disease as the opponent. Members of the P.E.I. Parkinson Society participated in such a class for the first time at Island Impact in Travellers Rest on Saturday. The movement of the noncontact fitness training helps with balance, muscle weakness, fine motor skills, and depth perception, all which greatly impact people living with the disease. Natasha McCarthy, along with 11 others, were clad in boxing gloves as they laughed and learned about the sport specifically designed for their condition. McCarthy, 38, was diagnosed two years ago with Young On set Parkinson’s, and volunteers with the society. She said the sport and the disease seem like an unlikely match at first thought.
“If you actually take each component apart and look at what it can do, it makes perfect sense that it would help,” she explained. “This might not work for everybody, but find something to keep moving because it’s the only known way to slow progression of Parkinson’s.” The society hopes to have regular boxing classes in Charlottetown, as it would be most convenient for the majority of members. McCarthy was delighted after Richard and Courtney Arsenault, owners of Island Impact Mixed Martial Arts and Boxing, volunteered to host a free class. “What impressed me was it wasn’t just a class for him. He really cared what it would do for people with Parkinson’s, and he was researching and watching the Rock Steady Boxing videos,” said McCarthy. “We had the opportunity to do this for the first time. Hitting the pads will get their mobility going,” said Richard.
He would like to host classes once a month, and will travel to Charlottetown once the society secures a location.
“It’s amazing to give it a shot, and help them with their movement.” Boxing and MMA changed his life, and he hopes to do the same for people with the disease. “I didn’t know anything about Parkinson’s until a little while ago. You don’t think how bad it is until you’re involved with it.” McCarthy was relieved when she found out because it took 15 months for her to be diagnosed. “The first words out of my mouth when I heard Parkinson’s were, ‘thank you for telling me I’m not crazy’.” “When you’re young that’s not on the radar,” she said. “I had some dark days.
“Your family and your friends are wonderful, but unless you’re living it, you can’t understand, and in reality, we don’t want our loved ones to understand because we don’t want them to have it.”
Having the society is important because even though everyone is affected differently, it’s comforting to have people to relate to, she added.
“It changes everything, but there’s a lot of good that can come from it, too,” said McCarthy. “I would like everyone with Parkinson’s to replace ‘I can’t’ with ‘I’ll try’. You think there’s no way I could do that, but look at them all out there throwing punches.”