Flowers of awareness

NEW GLASGOW - Hidden somewhere in a public garden in Pictou County is a trivet shaped like a tulip.
It represents 500 of the over 8,000 people in the Maritimes who live with Parkinson's, and it's free to whomever finds it first.
"People can pick it up, call the toll-free number on the attached card and their name will also be entered for the chance to win a prize basket," said Josephine Jollymore, president of the Pictou County Parkinson's Support Group.
It's all part of the Parkinson's Society latest awareness campaign, leading up to the annual Superwalk in Pictou County next month.
Tulips are the flowers of hope for the society, explained Margaret Milne, vice-president of the local group.
"You plant a tulip and have the faith that next year, you'll have a beautiful flower," she said.
This is the second year the tulip trivets have been placed in the county. Last year, several were hidden.
"People saw them last year but were too kind to take them," Milne said. "We really want people to find this one and take it home."
It's hoped that seeing the trivet every day, she added, will remind people to think about people with Parkinson's.
Parkinson's is a progressive neurological disease. When cells in the brain that normally produce a chemical called "dopamine" die, symptoms of Parkinson's appear.
Those who suffer from Parkinson's are often inundated with severe symptoms, such as tremors (shaking); slowness in movements; muscle stiffness; and problems with balance. Other symptoms may also occur, such as fatigue, difficulties with speech and writing, sleep disorders, depression and cognitive changes.
And it's a disease that affects many people in this area. The support group, which normally meets the second Tuesday of every month, typically sees more than 30 people attend each meeting.
"We have a wonderful group that's very supportive of one another," said Jollymore. "We meet with the caregivers, as well as people with Parkinson's, and we do outreach work as well. Some members can't attend our meetings, so we either visit or call them - we always keep in touch."
Pictou East MLA Clarrie MacKinnon knows just how valuable the group is. His father-in-law, Elmer MacLellan, passed away four years ago from Parkinson's. He says the support group was a valuable resource for his wife's family.
"Knowing this organization is there is important," he said.
"They offer fellowship and understanding, which you really need. Some people have lived with it for so many years - it's really a comfort level for people who are just coming in."