As a pilates instructor, Vicky Kamakaris knows the importance of movement but she’s also seen firsthand the impact of what losing mobility does to the body.
That’s why, for the second year, she’s hosting her Pilates 4 Parkinson’s fundraising event on Saturday 21 February at Hubert Estate, within the stunning Gallery of Art space.
All proceeds raised from ticket sales and donations will be donated to Fight Parkinson’s, a foundation that’s “more geared towards support for carers and providing information to people who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s” rather than research.
Ms Kamakaris said the support Fight Parkinson’s provided when her dad was diagnosed was essential to his care but also the family’s understanding of what was required.
“Fitness is really important to me, and people maintaining their fitness is really important. Pilates is an area that I’ve enjoyed a lot of success in, and I’ve got a lot of following in the area,” she said.
“I want to give something back to a cause that is very close and important to my heart.
“Dad passing away from Parkinson’s, and the number of people who are being diagnosed with Parkinson’s on a daily basis in Australia is increasing, so just to be able to provide that funding for support is really important to me.”
Training several clients who live with Parkinson’s, Ms Kamakaris said she tries to focus on functional pilates to maintain body functionality.
She also uses certain movements to look for signs of Parkinson’s or failing mobility.
“It’s good for prevention. It is good for maintaining health, and during the diagnosis. I focus on functional pilates, doing movements that assist with balance and fine motor skills and mobility. All those things combined help people pre- and post-diagnosis,” she said.
“The focus is on balance and the unilateral stuff, so doing movements on one side and then the other. Because with Parkinson’s, things can be just on one side, so picking that up and making sure that we’re doing things on the left and things on the right.
“Often you won’t pick it up unless you’re doing things separately, so pilates slows things down and works on all those things.”
Ms Kamakaris said that hip mobility was of major importance and a huge focal point, because it can prevent falls and the subsequent deterioration that often follows.
“One of the first things to go, for instance, is hip mobility. One of the things I work on is good hip mobility, raising the knees right up.
“If you’ve got Parkinson’s and you can’t raise your knees to walk, you start to shuffle your feet. That can be the beginning of the end for a lot of people; it was for my dad.
“He was quite good, until he was not able to walk, and then he fell, and then he ended up in hospital, and then we weren’t able to care for him because his needs were so high.”
Ms Kamakaris’ dad passed away in 2022.
Now in his honour, she plans to host Pilates 4 Parkinson’s every year to raise much-needed funds to support families and their loved ones diagnosed with the progressive neurodegenerative disorder.
Approaching Hubert Estate, Ms Kamakaris said they were more than happy to support the event, accommodating 100 people.
The Gallery of Art provides a perfect and peaceful backdrop for a pilates session, with the sweeping green vista on full display through large windows and incredible Indigenous art surrounding the walls inside.
People attending the fundraiser are encouraged to arrive at 10am for a 10.30am start. The hour-long guided mat pilates session is designed to energise the body.
There will then be a range of culinary delights to indulge in, with grazing platters and a selection of beverages to be shared over conversation.
Activewear brand LSKD will also be hosting a pop-up store and has kindly provided some giveaways for the day.
Anyone unable to participate in the pilates itself is still welcome to attend. For those who cannot make the event but would still like to contribute, they can donate via the booking page.
To book your ticket or to donate, visit trybooking.com/DIBZH
Hubert Estate is located at 1-3 St Hubert’s Road, Coldstream.
