It has been found that singing can be beneficial to those diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, and with this in mind, the Parkinson’s Support Fermanagh group meet weekly to sing together as a choir.

On Wednesday, March 15, the group hosted a special ‘Musical Evening’ at St. Michael’s Community Centre in Enniskillen to showcase their singing skills to family, friends and members of the local community.

Organisers were blown away by the attendance at the event, which saw more than 100 people join together for a sociable evening of song.

“We were very pleased with how it went,” said Myrtle Hemphill, secretary of Parkinson’s Support Fermanagh.

Commenting that the choir is predominantly made up of those living with Parkinson’s Disease, Myrtle said: “All the men in the front row – except Kenny Fisher, who is on our committee – all have Parkinson’s.

“Two of them really in particular, you would not know what they’re saying when they talk, but they were able to sing out, so it [singing] is benefitting them.”

The Parkinson’s Support Fermanagh choir meet every Tuesday and is led by Hazel Darragh. Hazel conducted the choir at the event and was accompanied by Ruth Coulter on piano.

Of Hazel’s leadership of the choir members, Myrtle said: “She is so good – she does tongue twisters with the group, to get them to accent their words, like ‘Red Lorry, Yellow Lorry’, and then she got the audience to participate and they loved it!

“’A Proper Cup of Coffee in a Proper Coffee Cup’,” said Myrtle laughing, as she gave another example of the tongue twisters Hazel had everyone trying to say on the night.

During the event, the choir sang a range of popular songs, starting with ‘It’s a long way to Tipperary’.

“Then we sang ‘Pack Up Your Troubles’, ‘Daisy’, ‘Sing A Song’, ‘The Lord’s My Shepherd’, ‘Hand Me Down My Silver Trumpet’, and then we went in to some songs from the musicals, as well as ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’.

“We finished up with ‘Give Me My Coloured Coat’,” said Myrtle, noting that an enjoyable evening was had by all in attendance.

Although the evening was not a fundraiser, but an opportunity to show members’ friends and family, and the local community, what the group does, Myrtle explained that some audience members wanted to donate to Parkinson’s Support Fermanagh.

“It was amazing what money was donated, but it wasn’t a fundraiser, it was a free event,” she said.

Talking about the benefits that singing and being part of the choir provides for those living with Parkinson’s Disease, Myrtle said: “Apart from it being a social event, it’s helping their breathing and it’s helping their throat muscles.

“When Professor Kelly, a geriatrician with an interest in Parkinson’s, was still in the South West Acute Hospital, he used to tell me that he knew who had been to the singing classes and who hadn’t, because he could see the improvement.”

If you would like to get involved in Parkinson’s Support Fermanagh, you can contact Myrtle at 0773 921 3200.

“We’d be very delighted to welcome new members,” she told this newspaper.

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