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RAYO DE ESPERANZA ganó el concurso de vídeos elegidos por el público en el Congreso Mundial de Parkinson

THIS ARTICLE APPEAR IN ENGLISH BELOW:

El vídeo de Christine Jeyachandran “Ray of Hope” (“Rayo de esperanza”) ganó el concurso de vídeos elegidos por el público en el Congreso Mundial de Parkinson celebrado a principios de julio.

El vídeo fue presentado en la ceremonia de apertura del Congreso Mundial de Parkinson, ante miles de personas en Barcelona (España). El vídeo cuenta la historia de Ray y Ana María, una pareja Irlandesa-Peruana que vive en Perú y se enfrenta al diagnóstico de Parkinson y al estigma asociado a la enfermedad.

Christine, que padece Parkinson de aparición temprana desde los 37 años, dirigió y editó Ray of Hope. “Ray y Ana María encontraron mi vídeo Handstand for Parkinson’s, que fue finalista en el concurso de vídeos WPC en 2019, en Japón.  Decidimos conocernos ya que ambos vivíamos en Perú y nos hicimos amigos.

Christine decidió hacer un documental para crear conciencia sobre el Parkinson y entrevistó a 5 personas incluyendo a Ray. No ha podido completar este proyecto, pero quedó impresionada por la elocuencia de Ray y decidió hacer “Ray of Hope” (Rayo de esperanza) como cortometraje para el concurso de vídeos del Congreso de 2023.

Ray y Ana María participan en un grupo de apoyo en Lima para personas afectadas por el Parkinson (pacientes y cuidadores). Muchos enfermos de Parkinson se enfrentan a problemas físicos, así también como la depresión y el aislamiento, que agravan su deterioro. Muchos carecen de acceso a información y recursos.

Christine quería que Ray y Ana María asistieran al Congreso para conseguir más recursos para ayudar a las personas con Parkinson de Perú. Puso el vídeo a nombre de Ray, para que si por casualidad ganaba, el premio ayudara a Ray a ir a la conferencia. Christine ya estaba inscrita para asistir y hablar, pero Ray recibió una beca de viaje y apoyo del WPC para ayudarles a llegar hasta allí. Están muy agradecidos.

El vídeo tiene visitas y votos de Perú, Australia, Irlanda, de América Latina y de todo el mundo. Christine y los protagonistas quieren dar las gracias a todos los que han votado y les han ayudado a ganar el premio del público.

Christine dice: “Ray estaba encantado con la victoria. Viajó a España para recibir el premio y su hermano vino desde Irlanda para verle allí”.

Aunque el video de Christine no ganó en 2019, se sintió tan inspirada por el Congreso que creó un grupo de apoyo en su comunidad del sur de Perú, donde vivía en ese momento, y cofundó la Alianza de habla hispana que abogan por una mejor atención e investigación, y fue elegida embajadora del WPC. Ella ve que el congreso ha entusiasmado a Ana María y a Ray.

Ray: ¡Conté mi historia porque quería liberarme! Me sentía oprimido por el Parkinson. Al abrirme al mundo y compartir mi historia creo que me ayudé a mí mismo y a otros a ver la esperanza más allá de la enfermedad.

Christine: “Los comentarios y las reacciones han sido alentadores y esperamos que Ray of Hope desafíe el estigma asociado al Parkinson. Algunos dicen que en el Oeste no existe el estigma, pero ¿por qué tanta gente oculta su diagnóstico? 

Por favor, comparta este vídeo para ayudar a la gente a entender el Parkinson, pero también tenga en cuenta que cada persona experimenta el Parkinson de manera diferente.

https://youtu.be/moq1JRD4qPs

 

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In SPANISH: Llenar este enlace para comunicaion en espanol y sobre investigation

 
Christine Jeyachandran ‘s Profile
Christine Jeyachandran: 9 years ago at age 37, Christine was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in Peru where she lived until recently. It started with a slight tremble, weak fingers and led to left foot dragging and difficulty walking without medication. Gymnastics has changed her life completely and empowered her physically and mentally. Her video Handstand for Parkinson’s was a finalist at the World Parkinson Congress.

Finalist for video Competition 5100+ views
She regained range of movement, balance, flexibility, coordination, and she’s stronger than ever. And her video Before and After shows a huge contrast in how it has changed the way she moves.
In April 2020, Christine edited a video: What are the benefits of exercise?. This shows the amazing stories of 13 people with Parkinson’s from around the World who swear by and implore people with Parkinson’s to exercise with determination and intensity, an apt message during COVID19. Parkinson’s disease never takes a day off.  Video thumbnail: What are the Benefits of Exercise? Parkinson’s secrets to living successfully. Video I of II
Christine herself had to “overcome apathy, doubts, fatigue, and fear” in training gymnastics so she wanted to help others understand the benefits went beyond her story and are worth the effort. This video comes with a sequel discussing “What keeps you motivated” as we know motivation is a big challenge for those with Parkinson’s too! This project was featured in Parkinson’s Life, online magazine.
The video – Would you sell your house to save your mother? Has been had amazing feedback (see poster below) and exposure and was a top 5 in a popular vote for the Focus on Ability Video Competition last year. It has over 44 amazing comments just on their site and many more through social media. It challenges the world to see the needs within the Parkinson’s Latino community.   

Finalist in Focus on Ability Film Festival
Christine is now A Co-Principal Investigator, researching the needs of people with Parkinson’s in a Research Project funded by Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Disease in Latin America: Learning from Underrepresented Populations  
   
   
Public Speaking
Workshop panellist / Interview Mainstage, Reachout, EU, Sydney University 
Panellist, NSW Parkinson’s Workshop 
Pitch finalist at University of New South Wales, NEW WAVE
Speaker, Diva’s Luncheon – Online
Panelist at events Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center and Spanish Federación de Parkinson
Interview, Two Mikes Podcast, Christine Jeyachandran: Making a difference in South America
Panelist on webinars, Paso a Paso Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center (3 occasion)
Panellist Sustain our abilities Webinar 
TV Interview TV Peru Sin Barreras
Interview, When Life Gives you Parkinson’s Podcast: Even Patients can Push things along 
Panellist and organiser, LSVT introduction to LSVT webinar in Spanish
Speaker Insight into Parkinson’s Parkinson’s Conference online 
Interview Parkinson’s Road Podcast

In the Media
PMD Alliance Blog Newsletter, Christine’s Story – Parkinson’s is not a punishment from God
Parkinson’s Life Magazine Article – Three inspiring film makers
Parkinson’s News Today Peruvian Family Sell Their Home to Afford Mother’s DBS 
Parkinson’s Life Magazine New Years Resolutions Parkinson’s Community
Parkinson’s Life magazine Benefits of Exercise Parkinson’s Video Project
Diario Correo Afectados por enfermedad
Encuentro La Gimnasia artística como terapia
Diario Correo Como Superar
European Parkinson’s Disease Association YOPD Christine Jeyachandran
 

Featured in Spanish Blog – Translation here.

https://pdeparkinson.blogspot.com/2021/01/fuerza-y-determinacion.html

Para leer en espanol was al enlace arriba.

This is a guest blog I made on a Spanish website – I translated it into English here:

I am Christine Jeyachandran and I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease seven years ago, when I was 37 years old. People are surprised that I have Parkinson’s because of my age and also because I am open about it. It was difficult at the beginning . In 2018 I wrote: “Sometimes I feel sad. This disease got me too young, I am only 41 years old. I grieve the loss of what I can’t do. I hope I can be there for my children when I am older and be full of energy and strength.”

But in my journey I have shown that I should not wait for the bad things to happen, but to change my destiny with determination. For me, light exercise was not working. My Parkinson’s symptoms were getting worse, my left hand was shaking and my ability to walk and my arms were affected. Light exercise was not helping me prevent my body from deteriorating further. In 2018 I decided to take classes, 3 times a week of artistic gymnastics, starting 1 hour per week of class and going up to 2 hours.

It was very hard because I couldn’t move much, I was sweating and sweating, my muscles hurt and I was afraid to do some exercises…. But I filmed my experience and my story. My video Handstand for Parkinson’s was a finalist in the World Parkinson’s Congress video competition. I regained my range of motion, balance, flexibility, coordination and I was stronger than ever. It is amazing for me to see the change in my Before and After exercise video.

Now I am an ambassador for the World Parkinson Congress 2022 (WPC), I want to encourage you to go (Barcelona). It is for professionals and people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers. WPC changed my life, because I was able to learn a lot about Parkinson’s and I came back ready to help my community in Peru. I am Australian but I have lived in Peru with my family for 10 years now. I am now passionately helping to educate people with Parkinson’s and encouraging them to do exercises to treat Parkinson’s. I want to finish with a reflection on the attitude of people with Parkinson’s.

I want to end with a reflection on the Parkinson’s attitude I see around me. People with Parkinson’s usually don’t like to go out in the street because there is prejudice against people with disabilities. People hide their disability. Sometimes others want to blame and say it is a curse from God.

If they go to church, sometimes they are told to pray and to have more faith in God for healing. If there is no healing, they don’t want to go to church anymore. On once or twice it was said to me: “You need to pray and have faith”. I agree I need to pray more and have more faith but I want to say it’s nobody’s fault that I (or you) have Parkinson’s.

There are many people in the Bible like Paul, who had great faith and God did not heal him and there are people who suffered: Daniel, Joseph, Naomi, Hannah and Job. I will be the first to admit that I fail more often than I would like to openly admit, but I believe that God is gracious and loving. He sees our hearts. If Jesus died on the cross for my sin, I don’t believe he would punish me (with a disease) unless it is a direct consequence of bad choices, i.e. smoking can cause lung cancer.

In the Bible there is a story about a blind man (John 9: 1-12) and Jesus’ disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” Jesus said, “but this happened so that the works of God might be shown in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me.”

Jesus healed the blind man and showed his power. I don’t know why I have Parkinson’s, but I have had the opportunity to meet many with Parkinson’s and connect with them. I can encourage and educate them and that gives me joy and purpose and I can love them in a world where they feel rejected at times. The disease is not good but I know for sure it is not a curse from God because of past actions.

I cannot hide my disability and any question or comment helps educate one more person, one person at a time. I can’t sit at home and hide, I have responsibilities and children, and there are beautiful places to see and mountains to get to the top off. I can’t stop living and enjoying life, even if I am scared sometimes.

I have learned that ‘Courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to go on in spite of fear’.

Christine Jeyachandran

Ambassador of the World Parkinson Congress 2022

Blog: English and Spanish https://handstandforparkinsons.com

Spanish website: https://activateparkinson.com

Youtube: Christine Jeya, https://www.youtube.com/c/ChristineJeya

Twitter: handstand for parkinson’s @christinejeya