Parkinson’s is an incurable neurological condition that affects people of any age and background. It is on the rise, with global diagnoses predicted to double to 25 million by 2050.
Kuhan Pushparatnam is from London and was diagnosed with young onset Parkinson’s when he was just 38. He knew nobody else with the condition and it was hard to accept. “It was difficult to get my head around. So I didn’t really talk to people and was quite secretive about it,” he says.
Fast forward twelve years and things are very different. Kuhan left his tech job in the City and co-hosts 2 Parkies in a Pod, a podcast with his friend Dave Clark, a former Sky Sports presenter. Together they tackle countless Parkinson’s topics and taboos with a positive energy and have amassed an army of fans. He also created a self-care phone app, Parkinson’s ON, to help people stay on top of their symptoms.
“It’s strange, isn’t it?” Kuhan reflects. “I went from telling nobody to telling everybody. But as my condition has progressed, so has my outlook on life.”
“When I was diagnosed, all I wanted was a practical way to help myself and to hear from other people going through something similar,” Kuhan says. “Perhaps I should have been doing this earlier. But a Parkinson’s journey is like a grieving process and you have to reach a point of acceptance to see things more clearly.”
Parkinson’s has over 40 symptoms which can affect everyone differently. That’s why research participation is vital. It’s especially important to hear from people of South Asian heritage, whose experiences are vital in understanding Parkinson’s. Recent studies have shown that they are more likely to develop severe movement symptoms, and thinking and memory problems. While it might sound daunting, getting involved in studies can help people feel more in control of their condition, and that they're making a positive impact on the community.
Kuhan realised that research was where he could make a difference. Taking part in Parkinson’s studies has been rewarding, bringing him into closer contact with medical professionals who are passionate about learning and finding a cure.
“Now I get to meet other people with Parkinson’s, neurologists and researchers,” says Kuhan. “I’ve had some real eureka moments when I’ve learned about something that I’ve experienced.”
Kuhan is also a founding member of the Parkinson’s UK Race Equality in Research steering group, which kickstarted in 2021 to ensure that the voices of people from Asian, Black, Arab and mixed heritage backgrounds are included at every stage of the conversation. This includes encouraging people to join the Parkinson’s UK Research Support Network, an online community where people can hear about and take part in the latest research. He hopes more people from the South Asian community will join him in the search for better Parkinson’s treatments. It all starts with better connections.