Fighting back against Parkinson’s disease

Three times a week a group of men put on boxing gloves to fight back against a common enemy.

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The Bell City Boxing Club in Brantford offers the Rock Steady program, a non-contact boxing regimen that is showing signs of reducing the progression of Parkinson’s disease symptoms.

Neil Affleck of Paris received his Parkinson’s diagnosis in February of 2024.

“It was a life-changing moment,” shared the 71-year-old Paris resident. “I heard from an old friend about boxing training for Parkinson’s.

“I thought it was crazy, but I came out and tried it, and I’m just loving it.”

Affleck said he loves the fellowship with the participants who come from different walks of life and are all at different stages of the disease.”

According to the Parkinson Association website, Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that mainly affects parts of the brain that control movement. The main symptoms include involuntary trembling or shaking of hands or limbs, difficulty with movement, stiffness in muscles that can limit range of motion, and instability with posture, walking, and balance.

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Dave Gallant, aged 64 of Paris, was diagnosed in 2017 and began attending a monthly roundtable meeting for Parkinson’s patients and their caregivers to share their issues and learn about treatment options. That’s where he learned about the Rock Steady boxing program that he joined at Bell City Boxing about a year ago.

“I think I probably had it long before,” he observed. “We all share similar stories of having symptoms 10 years ago or longer than when you’ve been diagnosed. It’s an insidious disease that just crops up and some guys get hand shakes.”

Gallant said his symptoms include leaning as though he was on a boat, carrying his arm in a bent position in front of his abdomen, forgetfulness, and getting visions in his peripheral eyesight of things that are not there.

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“You never know what symptoms you’re going to have until you wake up in the morning and find out.”

He has high praise for Bill Williams and Jack Blasdell, head coaches at the boxing club.

“These guys are old pros, and they make it fun. And it’s learning too.”

Williams saw newspaper articles years ago about the benefits of boxing training to combat the effects of Parkinson’s disease and decided with Blasdell to take a certification course in Toronto.

Bell City Boxing offers the Rock Steady program at their Tamara Place facility on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

“They’ll do stretching, chair exercise, a weight program, heavy bags, and a variety of things we do for their balance,” Williams explained. “It’s a good one-hour workout.”

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Blasdell recalls how legendary boxer Mohammed Ali would work out despite his Parkinson’s diagnosis and it seemed to diminish his tremors.

“We thought it would be a good idea for people to get them active again,” he said. “It’s been one of our favorite classes ever since we started. The state of mind they get in, they feel so much better. It gives them a boost.”

Ken Grohn of Brantford has been in the Rock Steady program for about nine months.

The 71-year-old former hardware store owner has been a motorcyclist for all of his adult life.

“When I got Parkinson’s my balance issues started to show,” he shared. “I’d get on a two-wheel bike and go for 10 kilometers, and I’d start to sweat because the bike was going this way, and I was going that way. I literally had to give it up.”

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A friend suggested he try a Harley Davidson “trike” that essentially nullified the balance difficulties due to its three wheels.

“I’m going to the gym. That does a certain amount of good for creating muscle, but this gives you movement,” Grohn noted. “When you hit that heavy bag, you know it. By the time I go home I’m a bit stoked because we’ve hit the bag for an hour. It works well and I’m very happy.”

Bell City Boxing presents its 3rd annual Punch Out Parkinson’s amateur boxing show on Friday, October 25 at the Brantford Convention Centre, 100 Market St. S. Proceeds will support the Rock Steady program. For ticket information e-mail: [email protected]

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