16 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday June 13, 2007 Our Mission The YMCA of Oakville is a charitable association open to all, dedicated to providing life-long opportunities for health enhancement and personal growth. P IS FOR PARKINSON'S heartbeat t Health-related news, tips and stories from the YMCA of Oakville www.oakvillebeaver.com June 13, 2007 2007 Goal is $180,000 Raised to Date: $55,000 When you live with someone who suffers every day, you quite naturally keep your eyes and ears open for clues and options anything that can deepen your understanding, bring your loved one closer to an answer, and perhaps help your family to cope. You also develop an incredible awareness and empathy that can only be born out of personal experience. Such is the case for YMCA of Oakville CEO, Bruce Ireland, and his wife Karen diagnosed 7 years ago with Parkinson's disease. Two years before the opening of the new YMCA, Bruce had been approached by an Oakville resident to consider a Parkinson's program using the Y's new pool. When Karen was diagnosed, it brought the whole issue into the forefront for the Y, and the fitness team was able to learn more about the disease through programming provided for Karen. "We saw a need first-hand for Parkinson's-related programs in Oakville, and made the decision to jump in and help." Bruce is now very involved with the Parr kinson's Society, as a member of their National Board, Chair of the Central Northern Ontario Region, and Chair of the Ontario Coordination Committee. Just what is Parkinson's disease? According to Wikipedia, "Parkinson's belongs to a group of conditions called movement disorders. It is characterized by muscle rigidity, tremor, a slowing of physical movement (bradyy kinesia) and, in extreme cases, a loss of physical movement (akinesia)." Over 100,000 Canadians have this mysterious neurodegenerr ative disorder whose cause is largely unknown, and for which there is currently no cure. For the scientific reader, Parkinson's is believed to be caused by damaged or degenerating dopamine neurons in a specific part of the brain called the basal ganglia. So where are the answers for Parkinson's disease? Could some perhaps belong in the realm of rehabilitation and movement? Dr. Quincy Almeida, Kinesiology Professor at Wilfrid Laurier University and Director of the Movement Disorders Research & Rehabilitation Centre, thinks that this just might be the case and has developed a study to learn more. Dr. Almeida, who studies Parr kinson's disease as well as other basal ganglia-related movement disorders, has designed a clinical trial to find out just what exercises can have a positive impact on people with Parkinson's and help them to control their movements. LOOKING FOR ANSWERS Dr. Quincy Almeida of Wilfrid Laurier University is positive about a research study designed to learn more about Parkinson's disease - part of which is being conducted at the YMCA of Oakville. So where does the Y fit in? How can the YMCA help further Dr. Almeida's research and become a piece of the puzzle to find some answers? In 2006, the YMCA of Oakville became a research site for Dr. Almeida and the WLU study. The Oakville Y was a logical choice, given that they had already developed a Parr kinson's program which had attracted a group of participants and had some understanding of the disease. From Dr. Almeida's standpoint, he was familiar with the Y "I used to workout at the YMCA in Hamilton, and so I have a great respect for the number of people in the community that a Y can touch." Dr. Almeida applauded the Y's acknowledgement and involvement in Parkinson's. "The YMCA of Oakville was the first YMCA in Canada to jump on board with our program and recognize that there is a need for better recommendations for movement disordered populations. Since then, the Cambridge and Kitchener Y's have also come on board with the plan to share our results across all the Y's in Canada." When asked about his vision for his Parkinson's research, Dr. Almeida pointed to a proposal for a first and only Canadian research and rehabilitation centre at WLU, which would focus on Parkinson's disease and other basal ganglia diseases. The goals of the centre would include: to "foster the development of an internationally-recognized centre that integrates exercise, motor control and rehabilitation science for movement disorders", and; to "become Canada's lead authority on recommendations for exercise rehabilitation for all movement disordered populations". Preliminary results are already starting to roll in, and it appears that there are certainly a group of exercises that may help improve the symptoms of Parkinson's. Planned completion of the study is June 2008. In the latest phase of the study the Oakville YMCA enrolled even more participants in an effort to try and strengthen the results from the Oakville pilot site. Bruce Ireland commented on the Oakville Y's involvement: "It's exciting to be at the heart of research that is actively looking for answers for a disease as significant for so many as Parkinson's. It's a logical connection for us as part of our dedication to two of our core values health and inclusiveness. We want to provide healthy life options for as many people as we can in our community and those who suffer with Parkinson's disease should be no exception." "My interest in Parkinson's is that I don't think we fully understand brain function, and specifically what is "going wrong" in many movement disorders", said Dr. Almeida. "Our basic science research at the Movement Disorr ders Research & Rehabilitation Centre is now starting to uncover some of these functions. These findings are what drive our interr est in rehabilitation." Looking for answers. It's what we do at the YMCA. For more information about the WLU Parkinson's study, go to www.wlu. ca, and for more information about the YMCA of Oakville, call the Y at 905-845-3417 or go to www.ymcaofoakville. com. Please note that the WLU study is underway, and current participants have been selected. RUNNING FOR THE FIRST TIME! IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO THINK ABOUT CAMP! Register today! Limited spots available to have fun, grow new friends and make memories! Call 905-845-3417, or go to www.ymcaofoakville.com and look for Summer Camp. Monday to Friday 5:30 am 10:00 pm Saturday 7:00 am 6:00 pm Sunday 8:00 am 6:00 pm Design by A proud group of ladies from the YMCA of Oakville celebrated their success in the Mississauga Marathon's "Hazel'" 5km run on Mother's Day, May 13. All of these Y members participated in the Y's 5 km running clinic and this was the very first running event that they had ever participated in it felt great! From left to right: Stephanie Kennery, Group Leader, Jennifer Messenger, Jennifer Leitao, Nathalie Dewes, Cheryl Miller-Oh, Maria Gonzales, Juanne Kochhar, Sharon Stuckless. 410 Rebecca Street | Oakville, ON L6K 1K7 Telephone: 905-845-3417 | Fax: 905-842-6792 Email: customerservice@oakville.ymca.ca www.ymcaofoakville.com