Meet Mr. Merwan Zend, first patient member of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorder's Society of India to run the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon. His motto is "I may have Parkinson's but Parkinson's will not have me"
On a pleasant winter morning, with his caretaker’s hand in one hand and the a walking stick in the other, 76- year- old Merwan Zend completed a six-km run at the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2012. His smile belied the fatigue of having run a long stretch despite battling Parkinson’s Disease, a progressive neurodegenerative condition that affects the very control a person has over body movement. The disease causes body tremors, slowness and stiffness of movement, difficulties in balance and a host of other accompanying physical and cognitive problems.
But Mr. Zend is the an example of the brilliant anomaly - a man who challenges exactly everything that attempts to render him helpless. He runs when his body is challenged, spontaneously pulls out his little mouth organ to play a tune for someone even when speaking is difficult, and keeps his cheer constant while recommending apple pie to every person visiting his bakery. Once a winner at the Western Indian Boxing Championship, when he was younger, his spirit remains indomitable even today.
A grandchild recounts his journey with Parkinson's Disease
After he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, Mr. Zend joined the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Society (PDMDS), an NGO with the objective of improving care and treatment of people living with Parkinson’s and its spectrum disorders and the dissemination of knowledge amongst the medical community, public, patients and caretakers. The society’s activities include group physiotherapy, support sessions, counseling, community outreach, and research and awareness programs as well. Mr. Zend’s laughter and zeal were infectious right from the beginning, and he made sure that he diligently attended pretty much every session and activity organized by the PDMDS in order to benefit and manage his symptoms. His conscientious effort to keep challenging himself is what sets him apart.
Finally, it is his passion to make the most of every opportunity that makes all the difference for Mr. Zend. When he was 75, he decided to go parasailing and saw it as an opportunity to challenge fear and notions of old age. In 2012, he saw the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon as an opportunity to challenge the very essence of the disease, and was thankful for the chance.
He wasn’t doing it out of narcissism; he was doing it purely on will power to live life and to enjoy it on his own terms.
This year unfortunately, as the disease is a progressive, debilitating condition, he will not run the Marathon. Regardless, he is an example for us at the PDMDS, inspiring us to work harder to support our other wonderful patients, to challenge difficulties, to make the most of opportunities and to do all of this with immense grit.
Nothing ventured is nothing gained, indeed.
