HE may have already guessed the diagnosis was not good but nothing could have prepared Andrew Parkin for being told he had Parkinson’s disease at just 55.

But instead of launching into denial or wallowing in self-pity, he set about finding others in the same predicament.

Andrew, from Walcot, is now calling anyone under retirement age with Parkinson’s to come forward and join his support and information group.

“I thought I was unique, being very young to have something like Parkinson’s disease, but it is more common in younger people than I thought,” he said.

“For instance, I always thought it was an illness just for elderly people but I know a 27-year-old with it.

“What’s important is that there is somewhere for people like me to turn to, to meet others in the same situation and get advice and support – so I just thought I’d try and set one up myself.”

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that often impairs the sufferer's motor skills, speech, and other functions.

While the disease is more common in the elderly, it is also found in younger people including teenagers and young children.

For this reason, Andrew decided to set up the Young Parkinson’s Group, a support group organised under the auspices of the Swindon branch of Parkinson’s UK.

“Parkinson’s can take years to develop,” said Andrew.

“For an elderly person it is bad enough but when you are in your 20s you have years and years ahead of you to adjust to a restricted lifestyle, which I think can be particularly hard.

“And the group’s not just for people who are living with Parkinson’s, it’s for partners and families.

“You don’t just go through Parkinson’s alone, your whole family goes through it with you from the tests and the waiting to the diagnosis and each phase as the symptoms begin to develop.”

For information about Andrew’s Young Parkinson’s Support Group, call 01793 651725 or email andrew.parkin1@tiscali.co.uk.

The Swindon and district branch of Parkinson’s UK also offers the chance for people with the condition to meet other people in the area, get information and take part in the activities they have on offer.

The group meets either on the last Friday or Saturday of the month, depending on the event being held, at the Meadowcroft Community Hall, Stratton, at 7.30pm.

For more information about the branch call Sandra Wanless on 01793 763256 or email her at sandra@wanless.co.uk or contact Jane Henderson on 0844 225 3694.