Cheryl Barnes hopes a cure for Parkinson's disease can be found as she continues to advocate for more research and services for those with the disease.
After being diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disorder 18 years ago, she has now become an advocate for others in her community in north-west Victoria.
As the head of the Mildura Parkinson's Support Group, she intends to lobby for the return of a Parkinson's nurse for the city.
She said Mildura previously had a nurse until state funding for it ran out.
"Parkinson's doesn't have a cure and there are quite a few people in Mildura who have Parkinson's that I come into contact with regularly," she said.
"Every day is a challenge."
Need for more medical specialists
After losing her husband, Ms Barnes has lived by herself.
She said services were lacking in north-west regional Victoria.
"We have a neurologist who visits only every six to eight weeks, and we're very desperate to have a neurologist locally," she said.
"We really need a carer to help in lots of ways. Every day gets harder and harder."
Genetic cause
Over the past year, the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute has been studying the causes of Parkinson's.
Funded by the Shake It Up foundation, CEO Vicki Miller said they were looking for people — over the age of 45 and without a history of Parkinson's — to participate in a control group.
"Our aim is to look at how we can fast track new treatments to pharmacy shelves that might have the potential to stop the disease progressing," Ms Miller said.
"About 15 to 20 per cent of the population will have Parkinson's because of a genetic mutation they might have.
"Others may develop it because of environmental factors, and then others may have it for reasons that we don't know or understand."
Hope for the future
Cheryl Barnes hopes a cure for Parkinson's can be found.
She said she did not want her children to go through the same struggles she had.
"Any sort of research would be wonderful. If [QMIR] can look into it further and find a cure, it'd be absolutely marvellous," she said.
"If you have an accepting family and friends, it's the best way to go."
