EVERY hour one person in the UK is told they have Parkinson’s.

But it does not have to be the end of the road for those who are diagnosed with the disease.

Mike Longlands, chairman of the Bolton branch of Parkinson’s UK, says the group has offered valuable support for him and his wife Rita, since her diagnosis nine years ago.

The couple, from Sharples, were rocked by the news after a period of time where she struggled to lift her foot up properly as she walked.

But despite the bombshell, they have remained positive with the help of their supporters – and friends – at the group.

Mr Longlands, aged 68, said: “I think people are probably in quite a bit of shock when they get the news – as we were. A lot of people probably go through a period of denial about it. My wife was only in her 50s which is relatively young really, so that was hard to come to terms with.

“Rita had a problem with her leg where she was unable to pick up her foot properly and she was catching her heel as she walked.

“That went on for a while before she went to the doctors but her symptoms weren’t recognised until her third visit. She was referred to a neurologist, who straight away told her she had Parkinson’s. It was a real shock.”

The NHS Choices website states that Parkinson’s disease is caused by a loss of nerve cells in part of the brain called the substantia nigra, which leads to a reduction in the amount of dopamine in the brain.

The result is that a patient can display symptoms such as stiff and inflexible muscles, slow movement and a tremor – involuntary shaking of particular parts of the body.

Mr Longlands said: “Rita does not have a tremor, thankfully. Medication for the disease is extremely good on the whole and generally people cope well on it and they can carry on with their lives.

“Things are a bit slower now – Rita does get tired and found it quite difficult to continue her job as a teacher after she was diagnosed, but she is still able to drive now and up until last year she was secretary at the support group.”

There is currently no cure for Parkinson’s disease, although treatments are available to help reduce the main symptoms and maintain a quality of life for as long as possible.

Mr Longlands said: “The group provides an invaluable source of support to people in Bolton. Some people feel better to be in contact with other people who have the disease so they can talk about how to manage it and what medication is best, which can be complicated and quite variable.”

The Bolton Parkinson’s group, which has 220 members - including people who have Parkinson’s and their loved ones - has just celebrated its 30th anniversary.

He said: “It was a fantastic event and we were honoured to be joined by founding member Edith Lord who is 95-years-old.

“It has been a positive 30 years – now here’s to another 30 years, and hopefully a cure.”

The group meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7pm for its Jubilee meeting, and on the first Tuesday of the month at 1pm in Kings Church, Bury Road. Exercise classes are available at Bolton Arena on a Monday at 1pm.

To find out more information, contact 01204 308191.