Parkinson’s Open Day
Program for the day
- 10am-10.30am Morning Tea and Registration
- 10.30-11.45 Session One (more details to come)
- 11.45 – 12pm Tea Break
- 12pm – 1pm Session Two (more details to come)
- 1pm Lunch
Presenters / Coordinators
Will Boag
Will was diagnosed with Parkinson’s14 years ago and has worked tirelessly as an advocate for Parkinson’s Awareness since then. He has walked pilgrimages around the world since diagnosis and found walking has given him a kick-start to live a rich life.
Will was also invited to speak at TEDx Katoomba watch his outstanding talk here: TEDX.
Read more about Will and his travels with his wife, Corrie, on his blog: WilltoWalk.
Margaret Bouttell
Margaret’s Dad – Theo – had Parkinson’s.
Back in his home town in South Africa, Theo coordinated a local PD support group and was very passionate about creating awareness of Parkinson’s and living life to his fullest capability. Theo passed away in 2020. In her dad’s memory, Margaret hosts this annual Open Day for the local Parkinson’s community at Glenella which she owns with her husband, Rowan.
Natasha Cesco
Natasha is a community dance artist and early childhood educator with extensive experience and qualifications from Italy, the UK, and Australia. She graduated from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London with Specialists Diplomas in Dance Studies and Choreological Studies. While pursuing her career in creative movement practice, performance and dance teaching in community settings, Natasha has facilitated performing arts programs across Europe before relocating to Sydney and the Blue Mountains (NSW), in 2014.
Natasha tutors inclusive creative programs across schools, community and family services, councils and arts centres. Since completing the Dance for Parkinson’s Training in 2015, Natasha facilitates weekly classes and serves as a DPA Committee Member. She advocates for the arts in health, enhancing quality of life and empowering communities through creativity.
Natasha holds a certificate in Intergenerational Practice from Griffith University. Today, she collaborates with Dance for Parkinson’s Australia, Move and Groove and the Australian Institute for Intergenerational Practice applying movement practice as a universal language and fostering wellbeing and togetherness.
Emma Tinkler
Diagnosed with MS at the age of 33 and Parkinson’s at 45, Emma Tinkler has spent half of her life advocating for medical research. She pulls no punches when navigating life with these two health conditions, alongside parenting two teenage girls in the inner city suburb of Redfern.
In October last year she had DBS surgery and over six months later is still trying to find tune the mix of DBS and medication. You can follow her progress at her Instagram account, @livingwithpdandms . Emma recently spoke at Parliament house on behalf of Australians living with Parkinson’s disease, to launch the inaugural national action plan for Parkinson’s disease.
‘Life with Parkinson’s is crappy’, she says ‘but there is a silver lining! The universe gave me Parkinson’s but it also gave me Martin’
Further Information and Events
Please find below some links that might be of interest about events happening related to Parkinson’s awareness month