September 21st, 2019: Mom of musician Harry Styles Mrs. Anne Twist is volunteering tomorrow at this year’s Chester Walk for Parkinson’s. The walk is one of many walks across the UK that have been taking place between July and September and that are raising funds for Parkinson’s UK.

Parkinson is a neurodegenerative disease caused by the death of nerve cells that produce the chemical dopamine. Dopamine is involved in many brain functions including control of fine movement and mood. With the loss of dopamine, patients affected by Parkinson’s disease experience tremors and mood swings. There is currently no cure for Parkinson’s disease, but medications are available to treat some of the symptoms.

Parkinson’s UK reports on its website that 1 in 500 people are affected by Parkinson’s in the UK. This disease is normally diagnosed in the elderly but a fraction of people affected by Parkinson’s are in their heir forties, thirties, and even twenties. People affected by Parkinson’s disease can present with many different symptoms but tremor and difficulty in initiating movement are the most common. Unfortunately, when symptoms appear, the disease is already advanced and the vast majority of the nerve cells that produce dopamine have already degenerated. For this reason, there is a great need for early diagnosis and for novel treatments that can be started soon so that dopaminergic nerve cells can be spared.

Parkinson’s UK, which Anne has supported in the past, works to raise funds for scientific research aimed at a better understanding of the disease and the discovery of novel treatment options. This organization also campaigns to educate about Parkinson’s and to lift the stigma associated with this disease. Furthermore, Parkinson’s UK runs several programs that provide support to Parkinson’s patients and their families. These include a helpline, online support, and a total of 365 local groups throughout the UK territory. One of the major goals of these local groups is to help patients identify coping mechanisms that can help them overcome everyday challenges.

The picture below is shared from the Parkinson’s UK website.

Walk_13.jpg

Parkinson’s UK has Mrs. Anne Twist listed on its website as one of their VIPs who help spread their message. Anne and her children Harry and Gemma Styles have been supporting Parkinson’s UK for many years. Indeed, Anne has been personally touched by this disease because her father Mr. Brian Selley is affected by Parkinson’s. Below are links to the articles we published in the past about Anne, Harry, and Gemma supporting Parkinson’s UK:

Mrs. Anne Twist tweets in support of the Parkinson’s Is campaign.

Flashback: Harry Styles and His Family Support The Parkinson’s Awareness Event

Anne Twist attends #Symfunny No. 2 benefiting Parkinson’s UK

Gemma Styles goes whitewater rafting to support Parkinson’s UK

Anne said about the Parkinson’s UK walk in Chester: “I’m volunteering at Chester’s Walk for Parkinson’s because, since my father was diagnosed with the condition, Parkinson’s has become a bigger and bigger part of my family’s life.  We’re very lucky because dad has kept his amazing sense of humor but there still isn’t a cure and the main medication is over 50-years-old. That’s why I support Parkinson’s UK and want to be a part of any opportunity to help support people affected by the condition and, ultimately, find a cure. It’s going to be a fun day and I’m looking forward to cheering on all the fantastic fundraisers and wishing them luck before they set off on the different routes.” (source)

To learn more about Parkinson’s UK, how you can support them or access information on Parkinson’s on their website, visit them here.

September 22nd, 2019 update: Today Mrs. Anne Twist posted both on Twitter and Instagram about the Parkinson UK walk in Chester. Anne was volunteering at the walk and based on one of the pictures she may have been in charge of giving out medals.