A WREXHAM man has opened up on how cycling has helped him live with Parkinson's as new research highlights the lack of awareness surrounding the disease.

The findings published today (July 5) by Cure Parkinson’s, has revealed a lack of knowledge about the world’s fastest growing neurological condition.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently stated that disability and death due to Parkinson’s are increasing faster than for any other neurological disorder.

Titled ‘Change The Future: Preventing a Parkinson’s Pandemic’, the report’s findings show 38% of people in Wales think that drugs are the only way to manage the symptoms of Parkinson’s, but many people with Parkinson’s find that exercise helps alleviate their symptoms too.

For Wrexham resident Simon Bland, who has lived with Parkinson’s since 2018, cycling has helped him cope with his symptoms.

In 2022, Simon took on the Raid Alpine cycle challenge for Cure Parkinson’s, covering a distance of 770km and 18,000m ascent in just over six days.

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This year, he took on the iconic Mont Ventoux in southern France.

Simon said: “It can be hard work keeping on top of Parkinson’s and some days are more challenging than others.

"For me, it is typically stiffness, cramps, fatigue and muscle spasms, and exercise is a great tonic at alleviating the symptoms.”

The report identified a widespread belief that the majority of people with Parkinson’s experience tremor or shaking.

While this symptom is fairly common, it is not necessarily an early warning symptom.

The research showed that the majority of symptoms remain hidden and public perception of what the condition means to those living with it is very different from the reality.

74% of people were not aware that depression, anxiety and pain can be potential signs or symptoms of Parkinson’s.

A further 83% were unaware sense of smell can be lost, a symptom which can appear years before other symptoms develop.

Two thirds (66%) were not aware that freezing or the temporary inability to move can also be a symptom and 87% had no idea that a reduction in handwriting size could be a sign of the condition.

Cure Parkinson’s says that, if the search for a cure for the disease isn’t accelerated, the impact on the NHS and economy could be crippling.

The charity's CEO Will Cook said: "It’s important that we invest in Parkinson’s now. This charity and our co-funders are leading a global charge to find a cure.

"We have directly funded or helped facilitate funding for over £100m of clinical trials to date. But this is not enough: now it is not science but funding availability that defines urgent progress.

"Our research should be a wake-up call to everyone that a pandemic is coming and the only way to truly avert it is to find a cure.”