Mike Tindall
New video aims to raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease
Mike Tindall
© Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images
Mike Tindall had to see for himself how his father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and the symptoms of the now 74-year-old became more and more entrenched. Since then, Zara Tindall’s husband has made it his business to educate people about the disease.
For Mike Tindall, 42, Parkinson’s disease is a very personal and emotional issue. His father Philip Tindall received the harrowing diagnosis in 2003. 18 years have passed since then and for the former rugby player his father’s ordeal has turned into an ongoing mission to educate, support and raise awareness.
“Stopping, reversing, and curing Parkinson’s is something that interests me more because I watched my father go through the healing than just live with it,” said Zara Tindall’s husband, 40, in a video message from the Cure Parkinson’s charity. In another touching video clip, the 42-year-old talks about the importance of exchanging information with those affected.
Mike Tindall: “It really makes sense to build a database”
In an interview with the BBC presenter Sally Nugent, the Queen’s granddaughter’s husband explains how important it is that Parkinson’s patients are given the opportunity to exchange ideas and share their own story. “It really makes sense to build a database that anyone can find easily and where people can share their stories and symptoms,” said Mike Tindall.
To date, the causes of Parkinson’s, a brain disease also known as paralysis, have not been fully understood. “Of course, doctors and neurologists will give different advice, so you have to read the stories to find out what is best for you and what suits you better,” says the ex-athlete, emphasizing the advantages of an exchange platform for those affected. The video also shows Tindall meeting people with Parkinson’s and listening to their story. There are scenes that get under your skin. Tindall can identify with many of the relatives and sees parallels with his family.
Mike Tindall: In 2011, his father’s symptoms got worse
Zara Tindall’s husband has spoken publicly about his father’s story several times. In all the years after their wedding in 2011, the year in which the condition of Tindall’s father also changed drastically, his wife in particular was “brilliant” and was his greatest support. “When we got married in 2011, things started – you could see how the symptoms affected him: He’s a much smaller man now than he ever was. Because of the spinal curvature that he had to operate on. Over the last Ten years then there were a lot of other problems that arose, “Tindall told the BBC.
Mike Tindall has been the patron of the “Cure Parkinson’s” organization since 2018 and supports research into curing the disease. “My father has had Parkinson’s for 20 years. You know, it’s been a tough road for him, especially the last ten years, and it’s been great to put that into research.”
Sources used: bbc.com, hellomagazine.com