It was Valentine's Day when Heather McEwen’s life changed forever.
On Feb. 14, 2023, doctors diagnosed the then 58-year-old Victorian with Parkinson’s disease – a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder that can result in tremors, limb stiffness and balance problems.
“I prefer chocolates, but I got Parkinson's,” joked McEwen, who moved to Canada from Australia almost four decades ago.
The disease, which nearly 3,000 others on the Island have, made life increasingly tricky for McEwen, who found simple tasks had become more and more difficult to manage.
“It’s like my brain is gradually forgetting how to do things automatically, so for things like buttoning up a shirt or doing up a zipper, I used to do that like most people without thinking about it,” she said. “Little things that are automatic become something that you have to work really hard to do.”
One month after her diagnosis, McEwen reached out to Parkinson’s Wellness Projects (PWP) for help. Founded in 2020, the Victoria-based non-profit works to improve the lives of over 600 people living with the disease.
“My first visit was just horrifying because I saw all these people in a more advanced stage of Parkinson's than I am,” she said.
Her fear evaporated, however, when she learned about all PWP had to offer to help her manage her new life, including a range of exercise classes, all of which are designed to help slow the progression of the Parkinson's.
“It's a good motivator for me to really get busy exercising and looking after my health and doing the best I can to keep myself going for as long as I can,” said McEwen. “Each class I do, I feel incrementally like I’m more able to do things."
The organization also offers those with Parkinson's much-needed connection through its counselling services and support groups.
“A key component is the camaraderie – just knowing the people who are there in your class with you understand what you’re going through,” said McEwen. “As much as family and friends support you, if they don’t have Parkinson’s, they just don’t get it on that same level.”
To support the organization that has given her and many others so much, McEwen decided to rally friends and family to take part in PWP's annual Douglas Mile walk on Monday, May 19, where dozens strolled from the intersection of Burnside Road and Douglas Street to Victoria City Hall to raise money for the organization.
This year, 227 people from 18 teams participated in the event. A total of $72,000 was raised, $6,754 of which sprang from McEwen’s efforts.
“I guess it’s also a gift for myself ... because I get to benefit from the program as well,” said McEwen, who rallied 60 people to participate in the walk, many of whom strolled "virtually" in places other than Victoria, including Denmark, South Korea, Australia, Portland, Washington and even the Sahara Desert in Morocco. "I like opportunities to get people together and rally for a cause – it's always been my way since I was quite young."
While the money raised will help PWP continue to provide the services people rely on, the walk also helped raise awareness about Parkinson’s.
“The number of people being diagnosed is rapidly increasing, so I think it’s going to be something like cancer ... they say has touched everybody,” said McEwen. "It’s ... about raising visibility about who we are and what a diverse group we are."
The Douglas Mile fundraiser is accepting donations until Friday, May 23. Visit for more information: raceroster.com.
