The group members before they set off for on A Walk in the Park.
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The Echuca-Moama community will come together this weekend for A Walk in the Park, a local event supporting people living with Parkinson’s and raising awareness of the condition.
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The walk will be held at Echuca Aquatic Reserve on Sunday, May 17, with the local Parkinson’s support group bringing the long-running Fight Parkinson’s event back to the region.
Echuca-Moama Parkinson’s Support Group facilitator Mike Bruty said the event was about creating visibility and connection within the local community.
“It originated in Melbourne but it affects the general population, and we felt that a local march would help bring the matter to the people of Echuca,” he said.
“The group can do good things for each other but also get a wider message out, and that wouldn’t happen unless we had some sort of public event.”
Mr Bruty said awareness remained important, particularly given how little many people know about Parkinson’s until they encountered it personally.
“When I was diagnosed, I had no idea what it was,” he said.
Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition that can affect movement, speech, sleep, mood and cognition, with symptoms differing from person to person.
Funds raised through the walk will help Fight Parkinson’s continue delivering support services across Victoria, including information lines, peer support groups, seminars, education programs and advocacy for people living with Parkinson’s and atypical Parkinson’s.
Fight Parkinson's Walk in the park. Leading the way are Ollie and Jeannette Branch.
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Mr Bruty said the Echuca event aimed to provide a welcoming and supportive atmosphere for people of all ages and abilities.
“The more people we get there, the more people will ask questions about the disease and learn more about it,” he said.
The local support group, formed in 2023, has grown to about 60 members, with monthly meetings helping people feel less isolated.
“It helps people feel a bit better and realise that there are others battling the same problems,” he said.
Funds raised through the walk will go towards the operating costs of Fight Parkinson’s Victoria and its support services.
Free registration will take place on the day from 9.30am to 10.30am at the Aquatic Reserve.
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