THE Chase’s Paul Sinha has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
The 49-year-old Chaser took to Twitter to make the announcement this afternoon and vowed to fight the condition with every breath he has.
Paul revealed that his ill health began in September 2017 with the sudden-onset of a frozen right shoulder.
It later developed into a right-sided limp that was getting progressively worse in May this year.
Sharing his story on his blog, he explained: “On the evening of Thursday May 30th, an experienced consultant neurologist calmly informed me that I had Parkinson’s disease.
“It was a devastating denouement to a medical odyssey that began in September 2017 with a sudden-onset, frozen right shoulder, and took in an unexpected diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a lifestyle transformation that enabled me to lose two stone, and a shoulder operation in January this year.”
“Nonetheless my reaction was not one of shock. I spent May this year in New Zealand simultaneously having the comedy month of my life, and worrying about why a right-sided limp was now getting worse.”
But Paul admitted that behind the facade he put on as a stand-up comedian, he was “deeply scared” about facing the truth of his illness.
“It has been a really, really tough two weeks,” he said. “Cancelling my run at the Edinburgh Fringe, missing the World Quizzing Championships to have brain scans, performing club sets whilst emotionally bewildered, and of course working my way through my loved ones, delivering the bad news.
“With the diagnosis now confirmed, and a treatment plan in place, I now feel far more prepared for the new challenges ahead.”
Parkinson’s disease is a condition where parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years.
It’s thought that approximately one in 500 people are affected by Parkinson’s disease and most people who start to develop symptoms are over 50.
Men have a slightly higher risk of getting Parkinson’s than women.
Symptoms tend to be split into motor and non-motor related issues.
They can include:
Paul vows to continue to appear on The Chase as he fights his condition but has ruled out taking part in Dancing On Ice.
And he thanked his fiance Oliver for his support after they got engaged in January this year.
“I have an amazing family, no strangers to serious medical illness, I’m blessed to have a fiance who is there for me, and I have a multitude of friends and colleagues whom I consider to be exceptional human beings,” he said.
“I don’t consider myself unlucky, and whatever the next stage of my life holds for me, many others have it far worse.”
“In the time since my Parkinson’s started I have been ludicrously busy, and fully intend to keep Chasing, keep writing and performing comedy, keep quizzing and keep being hopeless at Tasks.
“Dancing on Ice is, I suspect, out of the question. A lot of people have asked ‘What can I do to help ?’
“The answer is to treat me exactly the same as before. Much love, Paul.”
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