WHEN Enniskillen father-of-two Andrew McManus received his diagnosis of young-onset Parkinson’s earlier this year, it was a moment that changed everything.
“I remember opening the letter and just sitting there, trying to take it in,” said the 42-year-old. “My wife took it harder than I did.
“For me, I think I went into practical mode. I made a cup of coffee, sat down, and tried to process it quietly.”
Andrew was born with Hereditary Essential Tremor, a neurological condition that causes rhythmic shaking of the hands.
He had lived with it all his life, but by late 2021, his symptoms had started to worsen.
“I noticed things were changing,” he recalled. “I knew something wasn’t right, I could feel it long before the official diagnosis came.”
acceptance
When the letter arrived, it confirmed what he already suspected. But acceptance didn’t come overnight.
“Part of me wasn’t ready,” he said.
“Still, my parents raised me to believe that if you’ve got a problem, you face it and move forward. That’s what I’ve tried to do.”
Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition that affects movement, balance and coordination.
“It’s where the neurons in your brain that produce dopamine start to die off,” Andrew explained.
“Medication helps, but there are good days and bad days. Some days it just doesn’t work.
“I’ve lived with pain for three years, it affects my posture and even how I walk.”
The illness forced Andrew to step away from his full-time caring job, as stress can make symptoms worse. But home remains his greatest motivation.
“I’m married with two young children,” he said. “My son’s nearly four, my daughter’s two. They’re too young to understand, but I do the best I can for them.”
Determined to stay active, Andrew joined Box Flox with trainer Neil Wahlamsey.
“Boxing has been a lifeline,” he said.
“It helps with my balance and coordination, it’s like retraining my brain. They’re patient and understanding, and it gives me focus.”
Almost a year since his diagnosis, Andrew is ready to speak out.
“I want to lift the shame and make others feel less alone,” he said. “People don’t realise that young people can get Parkinson’s.”
He’s also signing up for an experimental trial in Belfast to help future generations of people with Parkinson’s and has joined Parkinson’s Support Fermanagh, where he is the youngest member by around 20 years, but said the group has been a great source of support.
More than anything, Andrew hopes to encourage others, especially men to talk.
“Mental health among men is still a big issue,” he said.
“If I hadn’t had my family and friends to talk to, I don’t know how I’d have coped. As the tag line goes, it really is okay not to be okay, there’s always someone willing to listen.”
