Tag Archives: Parkinsons

Robin Simons tells Jessica Quinn about managing Parkinson’s, dancing on mountains and the positivity of dogs “I think self pity is a terrible affliction”, author and photographer Robin Simons tells me on the crackling phone-line from his home in Germany. Robin has lived with Parkinson’s disease for more than 20 years, and I last spoke with him when he was living in Connemara, climbing mountains and planning on writing a book of poetry and photographs inspired by the health benefits of nature. Ten years on, Robin has finished writing his third book, Dancing on the Mountain Tops, detailing his climbs of 150 mountains in Ireland, including many in Clare, and the lessons he has learned along the way. However, these weren’t the only challenges Robin has faced. In 2016 he had major Deep Brain Stimulation surgery to help treat his Parkinson’s and just five weeks later he had a near fatal collision with a tree. Those setbacks, however, didn’t stop …

THE Parkinson’s Health Conference, which took place in Feakle this summer, has received a commendation at the Irish Medical Times Irish Healthcare Awards. The conference was announced as a commended award recipient at a ceremony held in the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin on Thursday last. The conference, which preceded the annual Feakle Festival of Traditional Music, was hugely successful this summer and saw a huge influx of people into the East Clare village eager to learn more about Parkinson’s and the beneficial effects that set dancing has on sufferers of the disease. Speaking about the win, Breda Collins, conference manager said, “There were nine shortlisted in our category and we got a commendation for the best patient education project (non-pharmaceutical). The judging panel gave it to us for focusing on improving patient care innovation and collaboration. We got a lovely certificate in a frame. “Crumlin got the award in our category. They did a project for children with cancer and …