10 minute read
Events – Shake it up for Parkinson’s
Angels shaking it up for Parkinson's
Aussie rockers The Angels will Shake it up for Parkinson’s this September 22 at a special concert – part of their ‘No Exit‘ 40 Years On album tour – but with all proceeds going to Shake It Up Australia Foundation, the largest non-government funder of Parkinson's research across multiple institutes in Australia. The Angels, formed in the early ‘70s in Adelaide by brother guitarists John and Rick Brewster with Doc Neeson, are loved for huge hits across three decades: No Exit (79), Dark Room (‘80), Night Attack (81), Two-Minute Warning (‘84), Howling (‘86) and Beyond Salvation (‘90). No Secrets ('80), Into the Heat (1981), We Gotta Get out of This Place (‘87), Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again? (’88), Let the Night Roll On (‘90) and Dogs Are Talking (‘90). The Brewsters’ connection to Parkinson’s was a chance meeting in April 1985 when The Angels were flying from Denver to Los Angeles and United Airlines bumped the band up to first class. As John Brewster tells it: “I took my seat and soon this big guy sat next to me. I looked up and it was Muhammad Ali! So, short story, we talked throughout the whole flight, him with that halting speech brought on by his disease. At one stage, he asked me if I had kids. I said yes, I have a son, Sam, who is 2 years old. He asked for a piece of paper and drew this wonderful scene, mountains, ship on the sea, plane in the sky and sun beaming down. He signed it ‘To John and Sam from Muhammad Ali April ’85, with a smiley face’ I enjoyed my time with him immensely and marvelled at how well he was coping with Parkinson’s.” These days, John’s son Sam plays bass guitar with the band. Shake It Up Australia Foundation is looking forward to funding more research into Parkinson’s, thanks to The Angels’ generosity and musical energy which will certainly shake things up at Star Event Centre in Sydney. With its funding partner, The Michael J. Fox Foundation, Shake it up has backed 10 new research projects across five Australian research institutes to the value of $3.5m. This brings the value of co-funded Australian research projects with MJFF since 2011 to $10.8m – fuelling 38 research projects across 12 institutes. Read more about Shake it Up’s research projects https://bit.ly/2GUeUW5 WHEN: Sunday September22, 2pm-6pm. Special guest Russell Morris from 2pm; The Angels perform till approx. 6 pm WHERE: Star Event Centre, Sydney Level 3, The Star, 80 Pyrmont Street WHY: to fund vital research into Parkinson’s disease via Shake it up Australia Foundation COST / BOOKINGS: https://shakeitup.org.au/theanglesparkinsons-concert/ OR you can support research by donating https://shakeitup. org.au/make-donation/
LaVoce is booming
LaVoce, a Lane Cove community choir, has recently increased its number by 25%. There are now 47 registered LaVoce members and around 30 regularly attend weekly rehearsals.
Members love coming each week due to the great community atmosphere, how much better singing makes them feel and just to have fun. And, members love the two-part songs we sing, including Ain’t Misbahavin, Bohemian Rhapsody, California Dreaming, Hallelujah, Imagine, Sunrise Sunset, The Rose, Sound of Silence. Our next concert ‘Singing for Fun in Lane Cove’ is in the Lane Cove Library at 6.30 pm on Thursday, September 19, as part of the Lane Cove Festival. Readers are invited to sing in this concert. Come and join us rehearsing in the Lane Cove Living and Learning Centre, and warm up your vocal cords ahead of being part of our performance for the Lane Cove Festival in September. What: LaVoce community choir, rehearsing weekly Tuesdays during school term, ahead of Lane Cove Festival performance September 19. Where: 180 Longueville Road at 6.15 pm every Tuesday during term time. No auditions needed. Details: contact Adrian Lee on 0424507321, adrianlee2@mac.com or see http://lavocelanecove.com/
Pre-teen girls’ manual
Many girls are getting periods earlier, and some are finding it harder to adjust than if they were older – hence a perceived need for Welcome to your Periods, a guide for preteens 9-12 years.
The book brings big-sisterish wisdom, fun and medical insight to frequent visits from ‘Aunty Flo’. Authors Yumi Styne, co-creator of award-winning ABC podcast Ladies We Need To Talk, and Dr Melissa Kang, a practising physician and the voice of Dolly Magazine’s Dolly Doctor column, wanted to make girls feel comfortable and confident about their period – whether it’s already started, or is just around the corner. This menstruation manual offers medical information, advice, case studies, first-person accounts and questions from real teens in an embarrassment-free zone.
“When I was younger, I longed for a resource like Welcome to Your Period. It answers questions that I might have only asked in a whisper, if I dared! Looking at the pages, I feel emotional - thinking how grateful my 12-year-old self would have been to have a book to take me through everything that happens when you get your period. I hope young girls use the book to feel armed and empowered.” said Stynes. Welcome to Your Period is a response to the growing ’period activism’ and covers environmental, intersectional and cultural knowledge about menstruation. “Women around the world feel passionately about breaking the stigma surrounding periods and we’re proud to be contributing our advice and knowledge to help make it a positive experience for as many girls as possible,” said Kang. The book, published by Hardie Grant, aims to inform preteens who have more questions than they’re willing to ask.
Pushing up for youth mental health
More than $2m was raised in July by tens of thousands of Australians doing The Push Up Challenge – 3,128 push-ups over 21 days. The number of push-ups represents the number of lives lost in Australia by suicide in 2017.
Nick Hudson, founding member of The Push Up Challenge is proud that money from this year’s efforts will go to Headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation to promote the importance of self-care and young Australians looking after their mental health, just as they should physical health. “We know there’s a strong correlation between exercise and mental health,” said Nick. “The Challenge is an opportunity for friends, colleagues or family to get together, have a bit of fun and also learn about issues impacting so many Australians who live with mental ill-health. “Not only do participants get a work-out but we send them information throughout the Challenge to educate people about mental wellness.” Headspace CEO, Jason Trethowan, and Board Chair, Lisa Paul AO, got behind the challenge, joining and the team at headspace to hit their push-up target. “We’re very proud to partner with The Push Up Challenge for such a great initiative. We want young Australians to know that there is help available if they are going through a tough time and they don’t need to go it alone. “Initiatives such as this allow us to continue to improve mental health literacy and also break down stigma associated with mental health,” said Jason. Faces behind the challenge included 20 players from the Future Matildas – a Sydney-based program featuring talented female footballers from across the nation. The Future Matildas program develops the next wave of senior Matildas players, and recently had players representing Australia at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France. About three-quarters of mental illnesses occur for the first time before the age of 25, so it has never been so important to support people facing mental ill-health and help break down the stigma associated with mental it.
Headspace, the National Youth Mental Health Foundation is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, which provides early intervention mental health services to 12 to 25 year olds. headspace has 110 centres across Australia in metropolitan, regional and remote areas, as well as online and phone support services through eheadspace. Headspace can help young people with mental health, physical health (including sexual health) alcohol and other drug services, and work and study support. Centre details, as well as factsheets and resources for young people and their families and friends, can be located on the Headspace website: headspace.org.au See thepushupchallenge.com.au
Can’t hide your lying eyes
Our best known relationship consultant, Yvonne Allen, believes there are seven tell-tale signs that your partner may not be being completely honest with you.
Relationships involve plenty of communication, understanding, and the sometimes hard work of open, honest, face-to-face discussion. But how do you know if your partner isn’t being honest with you?
Avoidance of talking face to face
Texting, social media posting and emailing can be good for updates and light-hearted engagement, but these disjointed forms of communication lack spontaneity and are bad for twoway communication on any important or difficult topics. Talking with each other face to face is ideal for a couple wanting the honest and open discussion that’s the foundation of a good relationship. “If your partner starts to use excuses or distractions to avoid talking with you face to face about issues you want to discuss, this could be a ‘red flag’,” Yvonne cautions. “They may be good at managing the situation but if they keep giving you the run-around, it’s likely something isn’t right.” Without honest discussion, distrust starts to creep in, and can start to destroy the bond between a couple. “Unfortunately mistrust fosters suspicion, insecurity, anger and resentment,” says Yvonne. “It can also change our usual way of behaving, prompting us to question everything, to interrogate and demand evidence. This can end up in arguments that cause distance and potentially destroy the relationship.”
Gut feeling
Often you feel in your gut that something isn’t right. Our stomach is our second brain and it is pretty good at letting us know when things don’t add up. Our intuition is often reliable and we should listen to it. If your gut is telling you something isn’t right in your relationship, then act on it.
Body language doesn’t match words
“You don’t have to be an expert on body language to realise when someone’s body language doesn’t match what they’re saying,” says Yvonne. Obvious body language that signals someone isn’t being honest or forthcoming include nervousness, tics, lack of eye contact and fidgeting. This suggests the person is feeling uncomfortable or may be avoiding the truth.
Being vague
If your partner talks about things in a vague way, glosses over things, or seems to lack detail, then this is also a sign that something isn’t right. “Someone who is being honest is usually happy to talk openly and provide detail, even without having to think about it.”
Too much detail
On the reverse side, when someone offers far too much detail when asked a question as if they have prepared the answer in advance it can also a troubling sign! Detail is important but when it is provided in an overloaded, unnatural way, it’s a worry.
Movements and patterns change
While changes in habits and routines are not always concerning, if these are combined with other signs, this can be troubling.
Uncontactable
If your partner has always been easy to reach and then they start to become uncontactable, it’s a warning sign. Calls that go unanswered and texts that are not returned are all signs that the person doesn’t want to engage while they are doing something else. Communication is the key, and talking face to face is essential for a good, healthy, long-lasting relationship. “It doesn’t matter how well you know each other or how much you love each other, communicate clearly to avoid any misunderstandings that can cause hurt, resentment, anger or suspicion. If you suspect your partner isn’t telling you the truth, tell them why and let them know your concerns.” Yvonne Allen is a psychologist and director of the introduction agency Yvonne Allen and Consultants. See www.yvonneallen.com.au
