The beautiful game and my battle with Parkinson’s
“YOU have Parkinson’s Disease, it is life changing and not life threatening.”
The words echoed around the neurologist’s office as ashen faced Tralee native Christy Leahy struggled to cope with the shock and tried in vain to take in the magnitude of what was unfolding in front of him. It was 2004 and as Christy, tears in his eyes, hugged his wife Helen, they were acutely aware that their life was about to change.
At its simplest, it is a progressive neurological disorder, which so far cannot be cured. It is variable in its progression, i.e. some people progress more slowly than others, and the symptoms can be effectively controlled with medication for many years. Parkinson’s results from a shortage of dopamine, a chemical that helps instructions from the brain to cross from one nerve cell to the next, in a part of the brain called the substantia nigra, which has to do with controlling movement. We all lose some of this chemical as we get older, and the loss starts at birth! However, it is only when we have lost about 80% of our dopamine we start to have symptoms. So people with Parkinson’s have lost this chemical at a slightly faster rate than others.
The most common signs of Parkinson’s disease are tremors (involuntary shaking), usually seen in one hand or foot, a slowness in movement and an increase in rigidity (stiffness).
There are two classifications of symptoms – motor and non-motor. Motor symptoms relate to movement, such as tremor, and non-motor relate to problems such as depression.
“The last thing on my mind was Parkinsons. I felt fit, enjoyed life and was actively involved in soccer at an administrative level with club and county,” said Christy, originally from Manor and now living in Caherslee, Tralee. “However, I noticed that my left hand was not responding as quickly as it had in the past and I put this down to age. I was 55 and assumed time was catching up on me.”
Over a 12-month period, Christy became increasingly concerned about his hand and this led to bouts of depression.
“At the time I was employed by Tralee Printing Works, who were wonderful, caring employers during my 38 years with the company. While operating various printing presses, the information I would send from my brain to my hand enabling me to carry out a task began to take longer and longer. Eventually I decided to retire, I realised my working life was over and that another part of my life was cruelly snatched from me. I enjoyed working and the social interaction with my colleagues.”
Meeting his wife Helen, nee Brick, from Ballyfinnane, was a life changing moment for Christy and would begin an incredible adventure in the world of soccer. Helen lived in St. Brendan’s Park and was a ‘soccer widow before they married’.
“I loved going to St. Brendan’s
Park to meet her in the late 1960s. It gave me a chance to play soccer in the green area with some of the local lads. These were great times, especially during the summer evenings. I never dreamed it would change my life as the kick about soon turned into a soccer club.”
Christy soon became synonymous with soccer in Kerry and, in particular, with the St Brendan’s Park. He was a founder member of the club in 1971. He won every honour in the game in Kerry, some on more than one occasion, and his unique contribution to St. Brendan’s Park soccer club was recognised in June 2010 when the club named their home grounds after him. He has been chairman of both his club and league, and he is currently President of the club and one of its trustees.
“To be truthfully honest, I was not gifted as a player and my career was short. It was generally accepted that my talents were best served on the sideline and in administration. I became the first manager of the Kerry Oscar Traynor team in 1976 and was manager of my club for 16 years. I also served as chairman of the Kerry District League for more than 20 years between 1981 and 2001.”
Among his many accolades is the highly prestigious John Sherlock FAI Award presented in 2014 for his lifetime work in football.
As a volunteer with the Festival of Kerry for more than 16 years, he was presented with the Golden Rose Award in 1998.
Christy has been reporting on Kerry soccer for many years in his weekly column in the Kerry’s Eye newspaper, something he intends to continue into the future.
In 1971, St. Brendan’s Park had one competitive team. Today, thanks to the dedication and vision of Christy Leahy, the club boasts 26 teams, 140 players attending the Under 10 Academy, two full size pitches, an all-weather pitch and a clubhouse.
Living with Parkinsons has had its lighter moments for Christy.
“Recently I was taking part in a Texas Holdem poker classic in Tralee. At one stage my left hand began to shake and one of the players noticed this, saying ‘I know you have a good hand, I just saw you shake with excitement’. He immediately folded his hand of cards. When I told him it was not excitement, it was Parkinsons he turned pale with the shock and was very apologetic. It was all good fun.”
Christy also hosted four charity walks in Tralee for Parkinsons, bringing in €10,000 which was donated to the North Kerry Parkinson’s Support Group and the South Kerry Parkinson’s Support Group, both doing tremendous work in the Kerry region.
“Life has changed for me. I am on a cocktail of medication each day and this enables me to lead a life that is as normal as it possibly can be. My reflexes are slow, the messages from my brain to my hands and legs is taking a little longer. My left side is the area that is most effected. I know it will get a lot worse but I will cross that hurdle when I reach it. I have a loving family including my wife Helen, my children Sandra and Sean, my adorable grandson Christian, great friends, and I still enjoy soccer and in that regard, life is not bad. I am dealing with Parkinsons and I just take each day as it comes.”