An interview with Robyn Cotton: Raising Parkinson’s Awareness through novels on October 15, 2024.
Biography
Robyn Cotton is a Kiwi who was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s disease at age 56. Since that time, she has been determined to live a positive life and to be as healthy as she can be until such time a cure is available. After much research, she has changed her diet and increased her exercise to maintain optimal neurological health.
She grew up in New Zealand and after studying science at Massey University, she enjoyed a successful career in the dairy industry then as a management consultant and director.
Late in her career she discovered creative writing and launched A Skylark Flies, Mary & Me, followed by her first mystery story, The Jibe. She is currently finishing the manuscript for her next book, also a crime novel.
She enjoys life on the Hibiscus Coast where she can indulge her love of sailing while exploring the beautiful Hauraki Gulf—the inspiration behind The Jibe. She also loves to spend quality time with family and friends. Her other interests include photography, travel, various sports and exploring Aotearoa New Zealand’s natural environment.
Can you tell me more about your organization?
I have used creative writing to raise awareness of Parkinson’s through my characters.
My second novel, Mary & Me, is about two women with Parkinson’s disease living 200 years apart. My objective for writing this novel was to use creative writing to raise awareness for Parkinson’s disease and encourage those with the diagnosis to live positively. Writing in an easy-to-read style makes it more accessible to a larger audience. People can enjoy the story and at the same time be fed a lot of information without having to read a weighty tome. The synopsis for Mary & Me is:
Mary lives with Parkinson’s disease in the early nineteenth century. Rose has it in the twenty-first century. Separated by two hundred years their experiences are vastly different, reflecting the change in attitudes and understanding. Rose’s story is inspired by the author’s own experience of living with Parkinson’s. It is deeply personal and honest and will take you on an emotional rollercoaster, from the shock of diagnosis to hope and resilience. This journey illustrates the importance of responding positively to a life with a debilitating disease. Mary & Me provides a novel approach to unpacking Parkinson’s and the mix of emotions that may accompany it.
My third novel, The Jibe, is a mystery story that includes a character who is a hero in the story who is dealing with young onset Parkinson’s disease. One of the objectives in writing this story was to help raise awareness of the issues that face people with this diagnosis, and I used creative writing to do this. The synopsis for The Jibe is:
Ella Hampton makes a mayday call from Aurora on the Hauraki Gulf saying her husband has been lost overboard during a jibe manoeuvre. A body identified as Dean Hampton washes up with a gash to the head and other injuries. The coroner rules it an accident.
Amy Fagin, Dean’s sister, while dealing with her recent diagnosis of young-onset Parkinson’s disease, suspects something is amiss. Determined to find the truth about her brother’s fate, she convinces Frank Smythe, of the Maritime Police Unit, to investigate the case further. Frank partners with Anahera Raupara to determine what really happened aboard Aurora.
I chair a Red Tulip Group under the umbrella of Parkinson’s New Zealand that supports people living with Parkinson’s around our city by running monthly events. Every second month we host a Living Positively with Parkinson’s social event in golf clubrooms which involves a speaker and a social time. During the alternative months we run a social walk for people with Parkinson’s and their families. Our focus is to encourage others with Parkinson’s to live positively.
What is your passion and how did you get involved in Parkinson’s awareness and hope for a cure?
My passion is to see people affected by Parkinson’s disease to live positively and make the most of their lives. I only got actively involved in Parkinson’s after my own diagnosis.
What effect can it have on an individual with Parkinson’s?
The feedback I have received from many readers of Mary & Me is that it has encouraged them in their own journey with Parkinson’s disease.
Reading a novel that flows and has an interesting story line and characters is for many people easier to read than scientific or formal writing. It’s an easy way in ingest information.
What would you like to see as a future goal for your programs?
More people encouraged that there is life after a diagnosis of Parkinson’s, and it can be good. Also with determination and lifestyle changes you can maintain a reasonable quality of life.
What events do you participate in?
I was a board member of Parkinson’s New Zealand and have attended their conferences. I help organize events for families living with Parkinson’s as mentioned above.
How does this also assist the caregivers?
Many caregivers have read my books, especially Mary & Me, and have said it has encouraged them and helped to increase their understanding of the disease and what their patient is going through.
How can someone get in touch? What is your website?
https://hatheropbooks.wordpress.com There is a Contact webpage.
https://www.facebook.com/robyn.cotton.5/
How can others also become advocates for awareness?
If you think you have a book in you, then give it a go!
If you could add any questions to this interview that you may want others to learn about, what would the question(s) be?
In your opinion what is the key to effective advocacy?
Finding a vehicle to get your message across in a unique and interesting way so that it is heard and remembered.
How can we better fundraise to support a cure for Parkinson’s?
Effective fundraising is not my area of expertise.
What other activities do you undertake to help improve and support your daily living Eg exercise and alternative remedies?
I have changed my diet to a low carb intermittent fasting diet and I believe this is helping me manage my symptoms and provides the energy needed to exercise.
I undertake a lot of exercise focusing on a range of activities that target cardio, agility, flexibility, balance, strength, power, and cognitive. The activities include pilates/yoga, boxing, tennis, paddleboarding, weights, running, hill walking, exercycle and table tennis.
I do daily puzzles to challenge the brain as well as the creative writing.
Why should people who don’t have Parkinson’s care about this?
Everybody is going to know someone who is or will be diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Getting inside the head of a person with Parkinson’s helps people empathize better. Creative writing is a form of writing where the author aims to get the reader to feel and to see as their character does.
Have you had any family members or relatives affected by Parkinson’s disease?
Apart from myself, my auntie had Parkinson’s.
If you had one song that would tell us more about you or represent your life, which song would it be?
Just the way you are by Billy Joel.
If you had one final statement or quote you could leave for the Parkinson’s community, what would it be?
It is harder for a person living with Parkinson’s to remain upbeat when dopamine levels are low. A healthy person gets up in the morning and most times will go and have a good day without thinking about it. For a person with Parkinson’s, sometimes we need to make a conscious effort to be positive. So, my advice is to start each day determined to make it a good one despite our illness.