For Finley’s Heather Beard, a Parkinson’s diagnosis felt like “being smacked in the face with a shovel”.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
The long drive home from Melbourne after receiving the news was filled with tears, uncertainty and questions about what life would look like next.
And while she was still coming to terms with it, her husband Rod was also diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
Less than two years later, however, Heather is determined that neither she nor others facing the disease - or any neurological condition - should have to navigate that journey alone.
Together with friend and her assigned NDIS support worker Susan Hill, she is working to raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease across the Southern Riverina.
They are also laying the foundations for a local support network for people living with the condition and those who care for them.
Heather was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in February last year after seeking a second neurological opinion, having previously been told her symptoms pointed to restless leg syndrome or an essential tremor.
A former chef in the childcare and aged care spaces, she had noticed subtle signs for years.
“My walk was changing, and my right arm wouldn’t move,” she said.
“I thought I was just being lazy; I'm like ‘why are you not moving?’.
“I was a chef, so it's a case of mixing and whisking and suddenly the signal from my hands to my brain isn't there.
“When I walk, I shuffle. Especially when I get to weaning off time with medication.”
Mrs Beard said the people she worked with were understanding and supportive, but it got to a point where continuing to work in a kitchen was “just getting too dangerous”.
Husband Rod received his own Parkinson’s diagnosis just eight months after his wife.
While the couple share the same disease, their experiences have been remarkably different.
Heather experiences tremors, mobility issues and rigidity, while Rod’s symptoms have included a masked facial expression, changes to his voice and sleep disturbances.
The dual diagnosis was another challenge for the couple, but it also strengthened their resolve.
“When he had to go and see his neurologist, I told him not to be surprised if it was Parkinson’s. I had been doing a lot of research, and it all sounded very familiar,” Heather said.
“He said, ‘Well, it doesn't matter though’. He said ‘because I've seen what medication has done for you, and we can do it together’.”
That determination has helped carry the pair forward.
Earlier this year they renewed their wedding vows during a camping trip to Port Douglas for heather’s 60th birthday, a symbolic reminder that life continues despite the diagnosis.
“Life hasn't come to an end just because you got Parkinson's,” Heather said.
The couple now focus heavily on exercise and staying active, something specialists consistently recommend for Parkinson’s patients.
Heather attends hydrotherapy sessions in Deniliquin and regularly walks around Finley Lake.
She is also taking part in the Black Dog Institute’s One Foot Forward challenge this month, aiming to complete 60km while raising money for mental health initiatives.
“I just decided to do that because I figured if someone from Parkinson's can do the One Foot Forward for the Black Dog Institute, anyone can,” she said.
Having witnessed first-hand how isolating a Parkinson’s diagnosis can be, Heather and Susan hope to establish a local social and support group for people living with the disease, along with family members and carers.
The idea is simple: provide a reason for people to leave the house, share experiences, learn about available services and remind one another they are not facing the condition alone.
“I just want people to know that they're not alone,” Heather said.
“You don't have to stay at home.”
Susan said it;s common for people withdraw from community life following a diagnosis, often because they are embarrassed by symptoms or unsure where to turn for support.
“They just stay home,” she said.
“We want to start a bit of a social group and talk about exercise and have a laugh together, play some games or do something.”
The pair hope the group will eventually connect people from across the district, while also highlighting resources already available locally, such as hydrotherapy programs and allied health services.
For Heather, the mission is ultimately about replacing fear with understanding.
After everything she and Rod have endured, she hopes their story will encourage others to reach out, stay connected and keep moving forward, one step at a time.
If you’re interested in being part of the support group - open to people with a diagnosis, and their families, friends and carers - call Susan on 0408 831 309.
To donate to Heather’s One Foot Forward fundraiser, go to www.onefootforward.org.au/fundraisers/HeatherBeard.