Janet Ogundepo
In a bid to deepen awareness about Parkinson’s disease and highlight the role of exercise in its management, two non-governmental organisations organised a walking football tournament in Lagos, attracting over 600 participants, including persons living with the condition, their caregivers, and health professionals.
Held at the Eagle Club, Surulere, the third edition of the Walking Football for Parkinson’s Disease Tournament was hosted by Parkinson’s Africa and the Adewunmi Desalu Parkinson’s Foundation.
The event used the slower-paced, non-contact version of football to symbolise resilience and foster community support.
According to the World Health Organisation, Parkinson’s disease is a brain condition that causes problems with movement, mental health, sleep, pain and other health issues.
While the condition gets worse over time and there is no cure, the WHO says therapies and medicines can reduce symptoms.
Common symptoms include tremors, painful muscle contractions and difficulty speaking.
The WHO states that Parkinson’s disease results in high rates of disability and the need for care, adding that many people with PD also develop dementia.
People with a family history of the disease have a higher risk of the condition, while exposure to air pollution, pesticides and solvents may increase the risk.
In a statement sent to PUNCH Healthwise, the attendees celebrated hope, community and awareness through walking football, a slower-paced, inclusive version of football that serves as a powerful tool for both exercise and advocacy in the management of Parkinson’s disease.
The tournament, sponsored by LES Energy as gold sponsor and Stanbic IBTC Bank as silver sponsor, featured 16 teams comprising corporate organisations, Parkinson’s disease advocates and persons living with the condition.
The corporate organisations that participated included IHS Towers, Danone & Fanmilk Plc, Halogen Group, Reliance HMO, StreSERT Services Limited, AIICO Multishield, PFL Engineering, Suzuki by CFAO, Asharami Synergy and Airtel Nigeria.
The Bring Back Our Language organisation and the University of Lagos Physiotherapy Department also fielded teams for the tournament.
The event featured a raffle draw segment sponsored by IHS Towers, as well as a live choreographed performance by Parkinson’s warriors and their caregivers.
The performance was led by Mrs Omotola Thomas, the founder of Parkinson’s Africa and a Parkinson’s warrior, and reflected the resilience and strength found in the community.
According to the statement, Parkinson’s Africa and Adewunmi Desalu Parkinson’s Foundation expressed gratitude to all participating corporate organisations, whether as sponsors or teams.
The organisations stated that the commitment and presence of the participants amplified the message that awareness, advocacy and community action are essential in improving the lives of people affected by Parkinson’s disease.
They reaffirmed their commitment to raising awareness, expanding access to holistic rehabilitative care and building supportive communities across Nigeria and Africa.
Parkinson’s Africa and the Adewunmi Desalu Parkinson’s Foundation are dedicated to raising awareness, providing holistic rehabilitative support and advocating for people living with Parkinson’s disease across Africa.
Through innovative programmes like walking football, they continue to demonstrate the power of movement, community and education in transforming the Parkinson’s journey of individuals across Nigeria and Africa.
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