Kyle Connor helps celebrate opening of new centre for Manitobans with Parkinson’s

A local organization dedicated to Parkinson’s awareness and treatment had some help from the Winnipeg Jets to open its new headquarters.

A new facility aimed at helping people living with Parkinson’s disease got some help from the Winnipeg Jets to mark the opening of their new centre

U-Turn Parkinson’s opened a new centre Friday at Southdale Community Centre, bringing in Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor to help celebrate. Connor has been an ambassador for the centre for the past two seasons, as both his father and grandfather had Parkinson’s.

“It affects a lot of people, and it’s not just the person with Parkinson’s, but their family members and everybody,” he said. “To be able to create a centre like this, it gives a sense of community. People can work on themselves and get better. It’s awesome to see.”

The Jets held Parkinson’s awareness game for the past two seasons. This year’s game takes place on April 11.

The new building offers exercise and rehabilitation classes for people living with Parkinson’s. The centre aims to run as many as 20 classes a week, including dance and Tai Chi.

Organizers say the classes can make a difference for people living with the illness.

“Everything from minimizing their tremors to improving their sleep to just improving their mood, there are lots of ways that exercise can be beneficial to someone living with Parkinson’s,” said Jordana Donnelly, program manager with U-Turn Parkinson’s.

The classes are being offered free of charge through monthly donations.

Information about U-Turn Parkinson’s and its programming can be found online.