CHILDREN across the West Midlands can find out about life with Parkinson’s Disease thanks to a new podcast.
Creative arts organisation, Made By Mortals CIC, has teamed up with Parkinson’s UK to create a special new Armchair Adventures episode, to help children aged six to 10 understand Parkinson’s in a fun, accessible and imaginative way.
Part of the award-winning Armchair Adventures podcast, A Planet Exercise Adventure! is a three-part adventure, co-created with Parkinson’s UK and developed in partnership with people living with Parkinson’s, as well as carers and loved ones.
Across the adventure, listeners join Chief Adventurer Connie, her Nanna Debs and a gang of explorers as they travel to Planet Exercise.
It’s a vibrant, musical world filled with different ways to move, from gentle stretching to energetic dancing. Along the way, they discover that exercise can look and feel different for everyone.
Inspired by Nanna Debs’ Parkinson’s diagnosis, the adventure follows Connie’s desire to help her stay well, leading to a heartfelt journey about understanding change, listening to others, and learning how to support loved ones who may have the disease.
Andy Smith, artistic director at Made By Mortals, said: “Armchair Adventures is all about turning real experiences into joyful, imaginative stories for families.
“Working with Parkinson’s UK and people living with Parkinson’s has helped us create something that feels both playful and truthful, helping children understand a complex condition in a way that’s accessible and reassuring.
“Partnerships like this are vital to what we do, they make sure the stories we tell are not only creative, but genuinely meaningful.”
Parkinson’s is a complex brain condition that gets worse over time.
It has more than 40 symptoms, from tremor and pain to anxiety, and there is no cure.
Helen Sturman, area development manager at Parkinson’s UK said: “We’re really excited about the launch of this Armchair Adventures episode. Explaining Parkinson’s to children isn’t always easy, and this is a fun way to help them understand how it can affect people.
“A big thank you to everyone with Parkinson’s who shared their experiences of living with Parkinson’s in the making of the story.”
Armchair Adventures is available for free on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube, or here.
