Reclaiming their voices: Therapeutic choir gives people with Parkinson's something to sing about

Sandra Breen has always loved music but started losing her voice when she was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2012.

"It was quite scary, and still is in some instances," Breen said.

But with the help of atherapeutic choir, she's gotten some of her voice back.

"This has really helped and I'm much more comfortable trying to sing with other people around who have problems also," she said.

Every week, she goes to U-Tunes a therapeutic choir at Winnipeg's Whyte Ridge Baptist Churchwith her husband and caregiver, Tom.

"He doesn't sing very well and he's learned to sing better than I thinkI have," she said with a laugh.

"I'm shocked," said Tom. "I always thought I was a good singer," he joked.

WATCH | TheU-Tunes choir in session:

People living with Parkinson's singing for strength

5 years ago

Duration 1:38

A therapeutic choir called U-Tunes helps people with Parkinson's disease strengthen their voices.

U-Turn Parkinson's is the charity that runs U-Tunes, along with boxing, yoga, and strength and balance classes forManitobans with the disease.

Now the program's reach has expanded to north Winnipeg, with U-TurnParkinson's offering its boxing andsinging classes atConcordia Village, onMolson Street nearConcordiaAvenue,as of Thursday.

Anthem for those with Parkinson's

Winnipeg musician Heitha Forsyth, who performs as Sol James, is the choir director and program manager at U-Turn Parkinson's.

The choir sings a song Forsythwrote specifically for people with Parkinson's, titled I Won't Let Nothing Make a Lesser Person Out of Me.

Forsythoriginally wrote it as part of an assignment for her education inmusic therapy,inspired by the people she met who live with Parkinson's disease.

"It turned into an anthem that we use in our group," Forsyth said.

"I wanted to write a song that really reflected the effort and passion of the people who live with Parkinson's, and how they choose to live every day meeting their disease head-on."

Sandra Breensaid she was moved when shefirst heard Forsyth's song about a year ago.

"It was very emotional that she would think enough of what she was doing here to write a song," Breen said. "She seemed to understand what was going through all of our minds, and she put it to words."

Forsyth is the reason most of the participants in U-Tunes return to the weekly choir, Breen says.

Tom, her husband of 50 years, is another reason she keeps coming back to U-Tunes.

"Tom really encourages me to get out and do things," she said. "I would stay home and read a book all the time, but he really encourages me by coming with me."

"One of the benefits of coming here is there isn't any kind of peer pressure," said Tom.

Singing for strength

Parkinson's disease is aneurodegenerative disease, withsymptoms that can includetremors, stiffness, impaired balance and rigid muscles, according to the organization Parkinson Canada.

Forsyth uses music and the act of singing to increasethe stamina and strength of the muscles involved with speech and swallowing.U-Tunes involves singing warm-ups, physical movements and repertoire singing.

"This is kind of a full-body workout, but you don't realize it," Forsyth said.

Charles Norris has performedin choirs for many years, but thought he would have to quitsinging whenhe was diagnosed with Parkinson'sthree years ago and his voiceweakened.

"It felt like I was losing something, all right losing a part of my life," Norris said.

Norris has been in U-Tunes for almost two years.

"I've been very happy with seeing my voice come back and this choir has been really, really good," Norris said."I can speak much louder and sing better, too."

"The fact that they keep coming back and more and more people keep showing up, that just makes me feel really good and that I'm on the right track and I'm doing something right," said Forsyth.

U-Tunes North Side launches Thursday at1125 Molson St.