Parkinson's diagnosis inspires film by Belfast director

Sam Gibson was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2019

"I'm stunned. I feel like a lost cause.”

When Sam Gibson was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019, he did not imagine his physical condition would decline as quickly as it did, describing it as a “freefall”.

His experience has inspired a short film written and directed by Thomas McQuillan, which has been selected for screening at the Dublin International Film Festival.

Memories of Us highlights the impact that degenerative illnesses can have on patients and their families.

“One day I was going about my life and had a good job, and the next I had this diagnosis and was gone. I didn’t know what to do with myself," Mr Gibson told BBC News NI.

“I’m so thankful for my wife and my son, who’ve had to deal with it all.”

Five years after his diagnosis, Sam said uncontrollable tremors and difficulty walking have made even the most routine tasks very difficult.

“It’s also had a huge impact on my voice," he added.

"People are always asking me to repeat myself, and I think I used to be pretty loud."

Thomas McQuillan during the filming of Memories of Us

Mr McQuillan, who is a friend to Sam's son, said he was inspired to write the film after witnessing the impact that his illness has had on his family.

"Not many people know that Parkinson’s, like Alzheimer’s, comes with a little bit of memory loss, and after seeing what happened to Sam, I started to do more research into degenerative diseases," he said.

“I found out that it’s more common than you'd think for people in their 30s and 40s to be diagnosed with early-onset dementia, so I really wanted to tell a story that would help raise awareness."

Memories of Us tells the story of a man in his 30s who begins displaying symptoms of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

It follows the progression of the illness in Jason, charting his physical and mental decline.

His wife believes something is wrong when she notices him trying to open the door to the neighbour's house.

"Forgetting where you live is one of the early signs that someone has early-onset Alzheimer's," Mr McQuillan said.

"Another is having a blank expression on their face, and you see that subtly in one scene when he's brushing his teeth, so I was keen to weave those into the film.

"One bit I found particularly emotional was when Jason shouts at his wife in frustration about how he'll forget everyone he loves, including her," he added.

"I found that really tough."

Memories of Us tells the story of a man with early-onset Alzheimer's

The impact of Parkinson's disease on Sam and his family often mirrors the experiences of people living with other degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's.

"I'm so thankful to my wife, who's had to deal with all this," he said.

Sam said there is a reconciliation to be had with the knowledge that his illness will only get worse.

“I won’t be around for much longer,” he continued, “but I’ve done a lot, and I’m happy with the way things have gone for me.”

What are the early signs of Alzheimer's?

The first signs of Alzheimer's disease tend to be lapses in memory.

This could include forgetting recent conversations, losing things, forgetting names or repeatedly asking the same question.

There can also be changes in mood such as greater levels of anxiety or confusion.

The NHS website has information on common symptoms.

What is Parkinson's?

Parkinson's is a degenerative condition which affects how your brain communicates with the muscles in the body. There is no cure.

Symptoms include:

• involuntary shaking of parts of the body

• slow movement

• stiff and inflexible muscles

A person with Parkinson's can also experience a wide range of psychological problems.

Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world affecting 153,000 people in the UK, Parkinsons UK said.

In the UK, about 153,000 people are already living with the illness.

In 2023, it was estimated that more than 4,000 of those were in Northern Ireland.

The charity Parkinson’s UK says that about one in 37 people alive today in the UK will be diagnosed with the illness in their lifetime.