Veteran journalist John Stapleton has revealed he's battling Parkinson's Disease as another sufferer shared the symptom she ignored for years. The 78-year-old has graced our TVs for decades, and recently opened up about his health struggles. Parkinson's is a progressive brain condition that can lead to movement difficulties, mental health problems and other issues.
Now, Esther Labib-Kiyarash – who was diagnosed with the condition in 2023 – confessed she overlooked a common symptom for years before realising something was wrong. The mother, who shares her journey with Parkinson's on TikTok under the handle @estherlabibkiyara, disclosed what her first ever symptom was, which is more prevalent than people realise. She revealed the initial symptom she encountered was neck and shoulder pain, including discomfort in her trapezius muscles, which extended up into her neck.
Esther admitted she endured this for "decades" before investigating its cause. Candidly, she said she didn't think much of it at the time, as many people experience similar discomfort. In her video, Esther shared: "The year that my Parkinson's symptoms really took off, which was during the Covid pandemic, the pain in my neck and shoulder became quite intolerable.
"I was constantly thinking and trying different ways to relieve that pain, because it went from being an occasional thing to a constant thing. I remember changing my purse, because I thought maybe it was because I was carrying a heavy purse strap, so I.
