'Young onset Parkinson’s is not a death sentence'

Faye Boucher was diagnosed after feeling stiffness in her left shoulder

A mother-of-two is raising awareness about young onset Parkinson’s disease (YOPD) after being diagnosed at the age of 45.

Faye Boucher received the diagnosis in September and said she previously believed it was a “disease mostly reserved for the elderly”.

As a result, she said there was a lack of support available for other patients in her situation.

Now she is working to help others with the condition and try to bridge the gap between diagnosis and support services.

Ms Boucher’s symptoms started as an unexplained stiffness in her left shoulder which spread to her wrist.

She initially thought it was a trapped nerve until it grew into a tremor but after several trips to her GP, she was told it was nothing to worry about.

“Something inside just didn't feel right but I couldn't describe what it was,” said the mother from Dudley.

“I was extremely anxious and anxiety is one of the first symptoms, which I just didn't have a clue about."

Faye Boucher is a mother to two children

As the tremor worsened, she sought help from a private physiotherapist who helped fast-track her path to securing a diagnosis.

“I was relieved because I'd had months of feeling like I was going out of my mind and not understanding what was wrong,” said Ms Boucher, who provides advice in early years educational settings for the City of Wolverhampton Council.

Ms Boucher said she wanted to encourage others with the disease and create a support network

She added: “There was no support until I sought it myself.

“It's not nice at 45 when you've got two children, you work and you've got things to do but I haven't wallowed in it."

Now aged 46, she will have to take medication for the rest of her life.

She added “It does have an impact on your mental health because you do think about the future and what that might hold .”

Parkinson's is a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years.

Symptoms vary but can include tremors, stiffness, slowness of movement, mild memory and thinking problems, sleep disorder, pain, anxiety and depression.

YOPD refers to those diagnosed under the age of 50 and is thought to account for about 10% of all Parkinson’s cases, according to the charity Spotlight YOPD.

'Your life's not over'

“Your life's not over, it's not, it's not a death sentence, it's about spreading awareness, that's what I want to do.” Ms Boucher said.

She now sits on the mental health policy board for Parkinson’s UK and is working to create support groups across the West Midlands for people under the age of 65.