Melton Waves Member, Amanda, shares her story. Amanda is one of Melton Waves familiar faces – a true symbol of strength.
Regularly our members will see Amanda’s smiling face in and around the facility as she continues to push beyond her limits. It was during the peak of COVID in 2020 when Amanda was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinsons. Last month Amanda made it her personal goal to improve her health and wellbeing, whilst raising awareness for Parkinsons through the 27ForParkinson’s campaign. The 27ForParkinson’s challenge asks participants to stay active for 27 consecutive days. Which to most might seem like a difficult task, to those fighting Parkinsons it is even harder. Throughout Amanda’s 27 days, the staff at Melton Waves have seen her push her own limits and reach incredible new heights. But don’t just take our word for it, here is what ‘Mandy’ had to say about her 27ForParkinson journey:
What motivated you to take part in 27 for Parkinsons?
There are a couple of things that motivated me to be involved in 27forParkinson’s. One was to raise much needed funds and awareness for Fight Parkinson’s (They do amazing work). The other motivation was I wanted a change in my lifestyle and 27forParkinson’s was a great way to kickstart that change.
What were some of the highlights of your journey?
A big highlight for me was the amount of support I received from everyone, it truly was heartwarming. It’s one thing to have your family and friends support you, but I felt extremely supported by the team at Melton as well and that is something I’ll not forget. And I was able to raise just over $1500 for Fight Parkinson’s.
What was the most challenging part?
I think the biggest challenge was still getting out there and being active (exercising in some way) on a bad day. Fatigue and exhaustion is a huge part of Young Onset Parkinson’s.
What Results/ Milestones did you achieve throughout this experience?
I had some great results along the way. I’m pretty proud of my fundraising efforts, I lost 3 kgs and my stamina/fitness improved.
I achieved my goal of being active every day whether it was water aerobics, the gym, my exercise physiology session or even tried Pilates and liked it (and found muscles I didn’t know existed).
What would you tell someone who was thinking of participating?
For anyone thinking of participating next year I would say, PLEASE get involved! It’s a great way to get active/fit and raise some money and awareness for a good cause, and if you’re lucky like me you’ll meet some awesome people along the way.
How would you describe your overall experience?
This was my second year of participating in 27forParkinson’s.
This year I was lucky enough to be sponsored by Melton Waves. This gave me access to everything I needed to achieve my goals. Not only did I have the support of my family and friends, I also had amazing support from Daniel and all the team at Melton Waves. I tell anyone who will listen how great the centre is, and how helpful and supportive the team there is.
Would you recommend the centre to friends & family?
Without the support of Melton Waves I’m not sure I would have kicked as many goals. So anyone wanting to start a fitness journey, please come and meet the team. You will love the atmosphere and friendly faces. And if you see me around I’m always happy to have a chat. Despite it all Amanda continues to inspire others through her positive attitude and outlook on life. We are incredibly proud of Amanda’s efforts & cannot wait to see how she continues with her health and fitness journey!
If you wish, you can read more about Amanda’s Parkinson’s journey here.If you too would like to help support Mandy and Fight Parkinsons, you can donate here.
