‘Movers and Shakers’ off to Greece

NEVER in her wildest dreams did Durban’s Naseema Parak think she would represent South Africa in an international sporting event, and yet she is.

Parak and fellow Durbanite Rajesh Nanjee, who playfully call themselves the Movers and Shakers, will fly the country’s flag at the World Parkinson’s Table Tennis Championships in Greece next month.

The two, both members of the non-profit group Parkinson’s ZA, were informed last week that they were among three athletes who would represent Africa at the tournament on the island of Crete (the other person is from Ghana), and now the hard work starts to find funding to attend the event.

An ecstatic Parak, 62, told the Independent on Saturday it’s her first big tournament and that her regular matches were usually played at home in the garage against her two grandsons, aged 12 and 13.

“They are very happy. They feel they actually coached me. My son thinks he coached me. I have three coaches.” And not to be outdone, Parak says her husband acts as if he is a table tennis expert, chipping in with advice.

She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2012, and since then her life has changed dramatically.

“Mine was very unusual. It started in my right leg, which was stiff, and I knew there was something wrong with me because I used to play ten pin bowling for a league, and I couldn’t roll the ball properly. There was something telling me there is something wrong in my body, she said.

Parak says after joining the Parkinson’s ZA group a year ago, her health improved dramatically.

Nanjee, 58, developed the disease when he was only in his thirties and says table tennis slows down its progression.

“I have 21 years of experience with PD, but there is still tons for me to learn, and I need to bring back from Greece what I can learn to benefit others,” said Nanjee, who also has several Amashova cycle races under his belt despite his medical condition.

Rakesh Harribhai, who started Parkinson’s ZA after his mom was diagnosed with it, said they had set up online “Mover and Shakers” accounts for Parak and Nanjee to raise funds for the trip to Greece. .

He said the World Parkinson’s Table Tennis Championships would take place from November 1-5.

Those keen to sponsor the players can go to https://www.parkinsonsza.org for more information.

SHELLEY KJONSTAD Independent Media DURBAN’S Rajesh Nanjee and Naseema Parak, who both have Parkinson’s disease and playfully call themselves the ‘Movers and Shakers’, are off to take part in the World Parkinson’s Table Tennis Championships in Crete. |