Every Wednesday, 65-year-old grandmother Sara Dove attends a samba drumming class. It’s an hour of “really, really good fun”, she says. It’s also helping her manage Parkinson’s.

“First of all, it’s a cardio workout, which is great. It’s also a mental workout, because you’re keeping your neural pathways open and making more neural pathways. And it helps with movement, we always do a bit of a dance at the end, and it’s good for hand-eye coordination,” says Dove, who was diagnosed three years ago and is a member of SParky Samba in Cardiff, a group set up for anyone affected by Parkinson’s.

“It’s also a great psychological boost. A real dollop of dopamine.”

Dove is one of around 153,000 people in the UK living with the progressive neurological condition. It means nerve cells that produce dopamine have stopped working, resulting in a wide range of symptoms relating to the brain and largely involving movement, which is why Parkinson’s is often associated with a tremor.

This month shines a light on the condition, with April being Parkinson’s Awareness Month and World Parkinson’s Day on April 11.

In the past, it’s often been portrayed as an ‘older person’s’ illness – but numbers are growing, with two more people diagnosed every hour according to the charity Parkinson’s UK, including a significant amount of under-50s.

While there’s currently no cure, many living with the condition are determined to highlight that there are things that help you live well with it.

For Dove and many others, the difference keeping active makes to how they feel is all the evidence they need that it’s worthwhile. But there’s a growing body of research into this area too, which is why it’s now a recommended aspect of symptom management.

“At Parkinson’s UK, we know how important it is to be physically active,” says Tim Morton, the charity’s Physical Activity Programme Lead. “It’s as important as getting the right medication in helping to manage your symptoms. Just