Sheffield woman tackles Parkinson’s accessibility with weekly walking football session

ExCo

Helen Corcoran, 50, organised this project for her father, who has Parkinson's, to have some regular exercise.

Mrs Corcoran said: "We’ve noticed that my dad, who has Parkinson's, benefits from walking football generally. But as his disease progressed, it became less accessible to him just to keep up with the pace of the game."

While there have been a few Parkinson's-friendly walking football projects around the UK, none is in Sheffield.

In collaboration with Parkinson's UK and Community Wellness Services, Mrs Corcoran set this up not only to create a level playing field for her dad but also to help build a tight-knit community of people living with Parkinson's.

She said: "The biggest challenge is getting the word out there to have enough players.

"It’s quite daunting having Parkinson’s and having the confidence to join a game. The key adaptation will be trying to get the message out there that it is friendly for Parkinson’s."

From around six participants during the pilot run, the session now attracts 14 regular players every Monday at Leisure United Graves.

This opportunity also brings carers together in the Carers' Cafe by the pitch while the players are playing.

Mrs Corcoran said: "Everyone’s been quite enthusiastic and supportive. There’s a really nice culture here. Everyone’s very kind to each other, respectful, and it’s nice just to see the person behind the Parkinson's."

Regular exercise is helpful for Parkinson's patients, especially if it is an activity they enjoy, which helps moderate their dopamine levels, improves balance, and enhances mobility.

Emily Keenan, the wellbeing coach and community captain with Sheffield United Community Foundation, who frequently joined the participants on the field, pointed out the positive physical improvement in some people.

She said: "Some players come, and they really struggle at first. Their bodies and brains do not necessarily connect. They might want to run but they can’t and fall over. But the progressions have been fantastic to see as they do not fall over as much anymore."

Understand the meaningfulness of the sessions, Mrs Corcoran and the organiser are doing everything to keep them affordable and welcoming for all.

The last thing she wants is to see people drop out because they are not able to afford the sessions.

She said: "We want the primary focus to be a bunch of people with Parkinson's, being themselves, having fun and managing their symptoms in a healthy way.

"What I don't want is to ever be in that position where somebody says 'Oh, I can't come next week because I can't afford it.'"

Mrs Corcoran and the organisers have set up a GoFundMe to generate funds for future sessions, hoping to maintain an accessible environment for everyone.