Parkinson’s UK event held in the Pierhead buildng in Cardiff bay.
© Wales News Service
Gwent Police Constable Hywel Griffiths helped launched Parkinsons Awareness Week (7-13 April) at the Pierhead building in Cardiff Bay last week.
The event was organised to draw attention to the effects of the condition on individuals and their families and to highlight the work of Parkinson’s UK in Wales.
Hywel had a number of his own poems read out and presented Parkinson’s UK with a cheque for £600 raised from the proceeds of his book of poems entitled “Poems, Parkinsons, The Police and Me”
Hywel was diagnosed with Parkinsons 15 years ago at the age of 32 while working as an operational dog handler with Gwent Police.
He said:
“This was devastating news and fearing the worst I couldn’t see what the future held in store for me; if indeed I had a future.
“Luckily very soon after being diagnosed I was offered the support of a Parkinson’s Nurse Specialist. She convinced me that having Parkinson’s didn’t mean the end, just a change of path through the rich tapestry of life.
“With fantastic support from my young family, friends, medical support and my employers I set off on this journey, during which I have obtained a BSc Degree from the Open University and successfully changed my career path to the intelligence side of policing. I can honestly claim that I have caught more criminals with my mouse than I ever would have with my dog!
“The main aim in my writing (typing – Parkinson`s has made my writing illegible!) has been to give hope to anyone newly diagnosed with the terrible burden of Parkinson’s Disease – that, (as is shown by the fact that I am still working full time 15 years after diagnosis) there is hope for a future that they felt had been snatched away from them”
Assistant Chief Constable of Gwent Police Julian Knight said:
“I am delighted that Hywel was able to open this very important event, raising awareness across Wales about the effects of this condition. Hywel has worked tirelessly within Gwent Police with staff, officers and the communities that we serve for almost thirty years, despite having been diagnosed with this condition over 15 years ago.
“Hywel’s poems are well-known across the force and are often the highlight at key events such as retirements and birthdays and we were proud that Hywel has been able to publish these and sell them for such a worthy cause. I hope that Hywel’s story and strength will serve to inspire others and highlight the outstanding work being undertaken by Parkinson’s UK and individuals throughout Wales”.
In the run up to Parkinson’s Awareness Week staff from the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent and Gwent Police Force managed to raise over £1,200 for Parkinson’s UK by hosting a charity dinner dance and a cake sale at their offices. Police and Crime Commissioner Ian Johnston said:
“I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Hywel since he started working as an Intelligence Officer with Gwent Police back in 1998,”
“Hywel’s accomplished career in the Police Force is a true reflection of the inspirational man he is. He has received several commendations during his distinguished career as a Police Constable and now as an Intelligence Officer- including two commendations for bravery. Being diagnosed with Parkinson’s is just another challenge which he has faced head on with the same bravery. When I first met him he had already been diagnosed with Parkinson’s but the first thing that struck me about him was his committed attitude and his enthusiastic approach to both his work and his life. Those qualities have never waned in the fifteen years I’ve known him.
“I must say that I take great pleasure in reading his poems. They are written from the heart and sum up his characteristics as a man. His honesty and integrity can be seen in these poems and they certainly make you stop and think.”
Barbara Locke, the recently appointed Country Director Wales for Parkinson’s UK, said
“Over 6,000 people in Wales are affected by Parkinson’s and we want to improve the understanding among health and social care professionals about the medication needs of people with Parkinson’s. We want to work with them to ensure that self-medication policies are in place in every LHB in Wales and reflected in the practice of every hospital in Wales.”
