Parkinson’s Sufferers Enact Their Own ‘Mannequin Challenge’ To Share The Reality Of Their Struggles

While the Mannequin Challenge may have come and gone quickly, this recent attempt at the internet trend is perhaps the only one that really matters. The support group Parkinson’s NSW put it out last week, and while the concept might first come across as a playful gesture, their goal is nothing but serious. Parkinson’s is a progressive nervous system disorder that manifests itself in symptoms such as shaking, vertigo, balance impairment, and pained movement.

Needless to say, these effects certainly don’t play well with the frozen-in-time nature of the Mannequin Challenge, but that’s kind of the point of the exercise.

Here’s the poignant video the group put together, showing the public what the disease looks like:

There's not much to say that the video doesn’t make crystal clear, but it serves as much to keep us aware of our own blessings as it does their struggle.

To learn more about the disease or donate, you can visit the video creator’s site here (Parkinson’s NSW) or if you’re interested in a domestic group, check out the Parkinson Foundation.