Anthony Desjardins was 38 when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. But, without yet knowing that he was affected by this disease, he felt the first symptoms four years earlier. “It was mild disorders, which did not seem worrying to me, confides this 40-year-old Gardois. My movements were slowed down, and I felt stiffness in my right hand. I put it down to stress and fatigue. »
At the time, Anthony Desjardins was head of department, in a supermarket, near Montpellier (Hérault). “Little by little, the disease worsened, and I had more and more difficulty using my hand,” he recalls. It bothered me to work, when I carried loads, or when I put the products on the shelves. And on a daily basis, simple gestures, like tying my shoelaces, buttoning my jeans or putting on my coat, had become complicated for me. The 30-something then decided to consult a doctor. He embarked on a battery of quite classic examinations, which yielded nothing. There was only one avenue left for the young man to explore: neurology. Very quickly, the diagnosis fell: it was Parkinson’s disease.
“The diagnosis was a blow”
“Before having the final result, I tapped on the Internet, to try to understand the symptoms of this disease, continues Anthony Desjardins. And in each of them, I recognized myself. I convinced myself that that was it, that I had Parkinson’s disease. Of course, it was a blow. Like a slap. But I cashed in, quickly. And I must say that finally understanding what I had, after years, I felt a kind of serenity. I have never been downcast. “Very quickly, when he could, this big guy of 1.84 m and 84 kg decided to pursue the sport, which he had never let go of, since very young. A real medicine, for him.
Then he decided to use social networks to talk about Parkinson’s, which affects around 200,000 people in France. And above all, to put K.-O. stereotypes about this disease. “I first created an Instagram account, to show my relatives, who are far from me, what this disease was, and how I was doing, he confides. For example, everyone thinks that you necessarily tremble when you have Parkinson’s disease. But I’m not shaking. Quickly, I received testimonies from other patients, happy that someone was highlighting their daily lives. »
“Sick people thank me for showing another side”
Then he started on YouTube. On his channel, Le Parki positive, he has created three inspiring formats. In “Heaven my Parki! », he gives the floor to the sick. In “Le Journal du Parki”, it is to doctors, specialists in Parkinson’s disease, that he offers a forum. Finally, in “Immersion”, Anthony Desjardins is embedded in training sessions with top athletes, to test his faculties. Basketball players from Lattes, American footballers from Montpellier and surfers from Palavas-les-Flots have already allowed the Gardois to interfere in their clubs.
“I receive a lot of messages from patients who thank me for showing another side, for avoiding being too anxiety-provoking, continues the youtubeur. And then, it’s true, I have a lot of self-mockery, I also make fun of myself a little. It puts a little freshness! »