Contributed by the Parkinson’s Society
Like many kids her age, Hayleigh Ireland loves to go grocery shopping with her grandmother, finding the items on the shelves and putting them in the grocery cart. But Hayleigh, nine, takes special pride in helping her grandmother.
Karen was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in September 2000 and now uses a scooter to get around. Hayleigh already knows that “some people with Parkinson’s have trouble walking and sometimes their hands shake.”
For Grandma Karen, Parkinson’s has meant being unsteady on her feet and tiring easily. She’s had a chair lift installed in her home. Because of her hand tremor, she has had to give up some old hobbies such as ceramics and paint-by-numbers and develop new ones—the house has so many books, it could be a library. Having the four grandkids drop in once a week keeps her busy and helps lift her spirits.
