Parkinson's patients find community in boxing class
Rock Steady Boxing is a no-contact boxing program held in Ilderton, Ont. which specializes in boxing for people with Parkinson’s disease.
For several years, the internationally recognized program has benefitted Parkinson’s patients, with locations across the United States as well.
For Bob McMillan, the class is helpful with his coordination and balance, something he's been working on since he was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2015.
“I look forward to it. I may be shaking a lot but I can still throw a good punch,” McMillan said at his weekly class.
While there is no cure, physical activity like boxing has been shown to help some patients slow down symptoms. Some common symptoms include tremors, muscle stiffness, difficulty balancing and with coordination.
“Parkinson's takes its toll on all of the muscles of the body and mine has been very bad over the last few years,” he said. “My balance is pretty good but the tremors throw it off.”
McMillan trains twice a week in the class which typically for over an hour, at their location on Ilderton Road. He’s been attending Deirdre O’Connor’s class for four years. O’Connor also owns the Rhythm n’ Box Studio.
“Bob's went through quite a few different challenges in life and with his Parkinson's but he's one of my biggest supporters and keeps pushing every day,” she said.
With a love for teaching and training, O’Connor started running the program seven years ago
“We started with five people and progressively got bigger and bigger,” she said.
Though the focus of the class is on boxing, the sense of community is what brings people back, O’Connor explained.
“Having that support for each other is huge and also the physical aspect for them is very important. We also focus on vocal, eye-hand coordination, balance, and core work,” she said.
“This group is what inspires me,” added Jennifer Kerkoff, a coach for Rock Steady Boxing.
“They have to come and workout and be active in order to hopefully slow the progression of their symptoms.”
The class was originally being run out of London, but O’Connor said they relocated to Ilderton during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.