Episode 24 - Nikki Creber, Living with Parkinson's Disease & An Urgent Mission to Set Up 3 Specialist Parkinson's Community Nurse Positions

Nikki Creber is my guest this week on Coffee & Contemplation with Susan.  This Episode focuses on what Nikki called "my mission - my everything". In 2019 Nikki was awarded a Community Hero for her work. Nikki is a Parkinson's Advocate and Coach on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. What is Parkinson's Disease? It's a disease of the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord, and controls everything you do, including moving. It affects all systems - motoric, non-motoric and neurological too. A person with Parkinson's disease gradually loses the ability to totally control body movements. Parkinson's Disease is the 2nd largest neurological disease suffered in Australia. 200,000 people currently live with Parkinson's. In 15 years, it is predicted to be double that number, and the cost of individual Health Department services across Australia will be exorbitant and prohibitive as the nature of the disease means that hospitalisation often means an upset to medication maintenance, and results in those living with Parkinson's will have a much longer hospital stay with much more expensive specialist medical interventions. Nikki shares her own story about her experience of being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in her 40s. The initial darkness of that reality and subsequent light and epiphany that came to her in the form of an offer of a sabbatical.  Nikki took back her power and began the path to reclaim the functioning of her body.  Our contemplative chat includes demystifying the myth that Parkinson's is just an 'old people' disease; the signs and symptoms you might observe in either yourself or someone you know and love; and will Parkinson's actually kill you? What Nikki wanted to be when she grew up but her dad said 'no', the work she loved before her diagnosis with Parkinson's disease and her mission in life now; plus favourite pastimes that feel really good outside of work; and favourite quote and song. Currently, Nikki's most important mission is continuing her campaign to gain effective on the ground/in the community clinical care for people living with Parkinson's as well as their carers. This is sorely missing in regional and rural areas across Queensland. Nikki wants to establish a pilot study in setting up 3 Specialist Parkinson's Community Nurse Practitioner positions with the SCHHS in order to establish an efficient, sustainable and transportable model. Queensland is the only State in Australia not to have such nurses.  Nikki's contact details:  [email protected] and website: www.nikkiacreber.vip Tewantin-Noosa Parkinson's Support Group contact details: FB: https://www.facebook.com/ParkinsonsQLD/ Email: [email protected] Nikki's "Shaken & Stirred" Radio program can be found at Noosa.FM The poem Nikki shared was "Thank You Coronavirus" by Riya Sokol. This is Nikki's favourite lesson in gratitude at the moment and a COVID lesson that is timely for us all. It's available on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/sgm9E_cmvWA Thank you Nikki for sharing your story today and also thank you for letting me test out the podcast platform... no more Zoombadaboom!