April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month, and men and women with the condition are out and about showing their communities how they really lead their lives. Communities in Sandy Springs, Georgia, Glendale, California, and Capitol Hill Village in Washington D.C. are using the game of pickleball to spread the word that people diagnosed with Parkinson’s can still lead an active life.

Carry On Undaunted

Rosemary Freeman, a retired lobbyist, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease approximately two years ago, a discovery that coincided with her discovering pickleball. “I was trying to learn pickleball at the time,” she recalled. “I couldn’t play well and I couldn’t figure out why. That’s when I found out I had Parkinson’s.”

Following the initial shock, Freeman, a member of Capitol Hill Village, decided she would carry on with her journey undaunted. “When I thought about playing, I realized I needed a supportive pickleball program that challenged me enough to enjoy the game but not so much that I get frustrated.”

Freeman sought assistance from Ann Goodwin, Capitol Hill’s seasoned pickleball organizer, who has over six years of experience in the sport. “Last fall, Rosemary and I got the Parkinson Pickleball program off the ground. We have great support from the larger Capitol Hill community,” noted Goodwin.

The program incorporates tailored exercises aimed at enhancing hand coordination, balance, and focus. “I get a physical and mental boost from playing,” Freeman told HillRag. “We have modified the standard pickleball rules to accommodate new players. We follow the three S’s: we play to six points, we play a slower and a shorter game,” Goodwin added.

Pickleball And Parkinson’s

The Pacific Community Center and Park will host “Pickleball And Parkinson’s” on April 24th from 9 to 11 a.m. The event will feature pickleball demonstrations that discuss the basic rules and elements of the sport. Balls, paddles, and nets will be provided free of charge.

Registration is also free. Contact Marshall Pura on 323 371 6016 or Annie Mayer on 772 807 0768. Alternatively, drop a line to [email protected].

“One Of The Most Positive People I Know”

Meanwhile, in Sandy Springs, members of the pickleballing group, comprising men and women diagnosed with Parkinson’s, say that even though they play for themselves, they always look to convey a larger message to the community, namely that the condition will not stop them doing things that they love.

As we have reported previously, it has been postulated that regular exercise can help you improve Parkinson’s symptoms.

However, it is not just people diagnosed with Parkinson’s that come to the courts at Sandy Springs, but other people attend, too. One of those of those is Megan.

Megan is the daughter of Eric Mindel, a member of the group, and she told Atlanta News First, “He is one of the most positive people that I know. He is someone I can talk to. We have spent a lot of time over the years with sports, he coached my soccer teams for a long time.”.

Eric was forthright when asked what his daughters meant to him: “Oh, everything, they are the reason I continue to fight,” he said.

“It has been good to be a part of things like this or go with him to gym classes, pickleball games, or other Parkinson’s events to meet his people and meet the people who understand what he is going through in a way that we can’t,” Megan adds.

Most of the group is from the Center for Movement Challenges in Sandy Springs, and for them, Parkinson’s is forgotten the moment they step foot on the court.

We have previously featured the center in this article.