A Belfast man has said keeping fighting fit is a key tool in his positive approach to his life-changing Parkinson's diagnosis eight years ago.
In 2014, Patrick Crossan turned 50 and later that same year, he also received the shocking news that he had the condition but he hasn't let it hold him back.
The father-of-two from West Belfast was speaking out ahead of World Parkinson’s Day this Monday, 11 April.
Parkinson’s occurs when the brain cells that make dopamine start to die. There are more than 40 symptoms, from tremor and pain to anxiety, hallucinations and dementia.
Some are treatable, but the drugs can have serious side effects. It gets worse over time and there is currently no cure.
Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world and affects almost 4,000 people across Northern Ireland.
Champion runner, Patrick, 58, is a former business consultant for BT but having retired from that role early, he can now spend more time with his wife of 28 years, Maureen and their grown-up children Kevin, 27, and Therese, 23.
"While I was diagnosed young, there are people a lot younger than me getting that same diagnosis. It's becoming more prevalent as more people are being diagnosed earlier," he told Belfast Live.
One of the early warning signs for Patrick was when he developed a slight twitch in his left arm.
"My wife advised me to get it seen to and eventually I went to a consultant who diagnosed me with Parkinson's," he said.
Despite his diagnosis and the developing symptoms over the past eight years, Patrick has remained upbeat.
"I am a firm believer in keep trying until it's impossible but there are some limitations that you have to put up with," he explained.
"When I had a recent injury, I wasn't able to train for a while and I found that the symptoms, in particular my shake, got a little worse.
"When I'm having my photograph taken now, I used to have a natural smile but now it's forced, which is part of the 'masking' as they call it.
"My anxiety can also rise at times because people tend to think of Parkinson’s as a physical disease when in fact it's neurological."
Patrick added: "My sleep can also be impacted - I can go through patches when I sleep well or if I don't, I can be shouting as if I'm having nightmares which doesn't only affect me but Maureen as well.
"I try not to let it limit me as much as possible but the tiredness could make you fall off the edge of a cliff sometimes. I could be out in company or at a party and all of a sudden feel the need to leave.
"Despite all of that, I remain quite positive and the only thing that annoys me is the fact that people still see it as an old person's disease.
"It's also a hidden illness that affects people's confidence and once that goes, it can take a while to recover it again."
Currently Patrick's medication consists of one tablet a day and two Neupro patches.
"My consultant and I have worked things in such a way that we're going to try and keep me off medication and do this with exercise as much as possible.
"So as long as I can keep the disease at bay with the minimum medication, I'll try and get by with things like yoga, athletics, playing golf and just generally keeping fit.
"I still train four or five days a week so I keep myself busy and you have to work at it or it can catch up with you. The more you do, the more you fight the condition," he added.
Since his diagnosis, Patrick has been active in fundraising for Parkinson’s UK as well as helping to set up the Early Onset Cafe in Belfast every month.
"Anybody I've met within the Parkinson’s community, it has been a very positive experience and maybe we need to be to keep fighting all the time," he said.
"The support groups out there are great but people with early onset Parkinson’s are usually working during the day so we run an evening cafe on the third Thursday of every month.
"There's no obligation to join - you can just come and go as you please - but currently we have between 15 and 18 people attend every month," Patrick explained.
"We sit and talk, have a bit of craic, friendships form but it's also a way of showing those who are newly diagnosed that there's life after Parkinson’s.
"It's not a death sentence - you can still have a good life and you shouldn't give up but instead persevere.
"Of course we have dark days like everyone else and it has been a harder path at times than I thought it would be. I'm still here though and doing what I want to do.
"I saw someone's tattoo once which read 'I have Parkinson’s, Parkinson’s doesn't have me' and that has always stuck with me," he added.
A number of prominent buildings across Northern Ireland will be illuminated blue on Monday to mark World Parkinson’s Day, including Enniskillen Castle, Newry Town Hall, The Great Light and SoundYard at the Titanic Museum, the Playhouse Theatre in Derry, and the Ulster University buildings at Magee and Coleraine.
The initiative has been spearheaded by Parkinson’s UK in Northern Ireland, who provide support and advice to people affected by Parkinson’s in NI.
Nicola Moore, Country Director, NI for Parkinson’s UK, said: "Every year World Parkinson’s Day gives us a chance to shine a light on Parkinson's, and the impact that the condition can have on people living with Parkinson’s every day.
"We hope that when people see the blue buildings that they’ll question why, and maybe take some time to learn about Parkinson's."
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