As with all of us, life is not wholly and solely about Parkinson’s. I have been working on a project dear to my heart from working for many years supporting patients and their families following a stroke. My colleagues and I have tried to find books that talk about Mum or Dad having a stroke but have not been able to find one, certainly not in New Zealand. So, I decided to write one myself.
As most of you know I have written poetry for many years and so it came as a natural way for me to make a book that rhymes and that can therefore be more memorable for young children. I am seeking funding via ‘Boosted’ to pay the illustrator, who has done an incredible job and to fund the cost of printing the books and getting them out in the community where they are needed. The basic premise for the book is that it starts by talking about all the things that Dad taught the child as they grew up and then when Dad has a stroke, they can then help him to relearn how to read, tie shoelaces, dress etc. In this way even young children can feel involved in their parent’s journey in a meaningful way.
I’d love to take you all on this journey with me and hope that at the end of it we can produce the books needed to benefit the children whose parent has had a stroke.
I also have a ‘Mum’s turn to learn’ I want to produce, but first things first I hope that I can get the funds together to bring this first book to fruition.
Thank you.
Sue
My journey with Parkinsons 