Parkinson's: 'I'm going to fight it every inch of the way & have a jolly good time while doing it!'

  • Joanne Gallacher reports.

When Dario Bucceri was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2019, he was devastated.

He believed the neurological disorder would negatively impact every aspect of his life.

However, upon moving to Chirk in north Wales, Dario decided to embrace life with Parkinson's and find different methods to help him accept this new reality.

Speaking to ITV Wales, he said: "We found the canal close to the house. So shortly after we moved here, I bought myself a kayak and I come up here to exercise and to spend time with my son."

"I think it helps with my movement. Parkinson's takes big things and makes them small. So it's good for me to paddle and go through those motions, and just to be in a quiet environment like this."

"I'm either going to let this thing take me out, or I'm going to fight it every inch of the way and have a jolly good time while doing it!"

Dario's own journey has not been easy.

He said his wife initially noticed his right arm was not swinging when he walked. This, coupled with a deteriorating sense of smell and taste, as well as a loss of dexterity in his hands, led him to seek medical advice.

He said: "I got to the point where I was down and depressed about it. But, one day, I decided that this had to be different and that I'd make it the best thing that's ever happened to me.

"It's a choice. I'm either going to let this thing take me out, or I'm going to fight it every inch of the way and have a jolly good time while doing it!"

Committed to maintaining his active lifestyle, as well as kayaking, Dario hopes to climb Snowdon. He has also ran a number of marathons to raise funds for charities.

Parkinson's is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world, and currently there is no cure.

1 in 37 people alive today in the UK will be diagnosed with the condition in their lifetime.

Ana Palazon, Parkinson's UK Director for Wales told ITV Wales: "For some people, having the diagnosis can be quite shocking and devastating. It is a life changing diagnosis, and for some people, it can take a while to digest and gradually get used to a new reality."

"There's always a grieving process because you are, potentially, gradually losing bits of who you were. But on the other hand, many people tell us about how they've rebuilt their lives."

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