In a program jointly offered by the Parkinson Society of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Boxfit fitness training centre on Topsail Road in Mount Pearl, clients of the society are availing of a specialized exercise program.
Participants work out for half an hour under the tutelage of Carrie Hayward, owner and fitness trainer specialist at Boxfit. There is no cost for the classes, which are held each Wednesday morning.
As the Parkinson Society of N.L. website explains, Parkinson’s disease is caused by a degeneration of the cells which produce dopamine … a brain neurotransmitter that sends signals from one nerve cell to another. It affects the parts of the brain that control smooth, voluntary movements such as walking, writing, throwing a ball or buttoning a shirt.
For people with Parkinson’s, boxing helps keep their bodies moving.
Established in 1990, the Parkinson Society in this province is governed by a voluntary board of directors, and supported by donations.
