ATTACHING raffle tickets to charity tombola prizes may seem like the easiest task in the world, but for Lesley Jelfs it is sometimes almost impossible.

The 54-year-old was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease 10 years ago and, on bad days', even everyday tasks like dressing herself, washing her hair and cutting up her own food require help from her family.

"I have now learnt to laugh at the silly things that happen like walking into things, and dreaming vividly," she said.

"I have had dreams about rats that were so clear I could see their whiskers twitching, and have been shot, stabbed and run over.

"One night I was riding a camel and, as it went to get down, I fell off. The next thing I knew I was sitting on the bedroom floor laughing - after all, it's not everyone who can ride a camel in bed!"

However, despite Lesley's laughter, there is a downside.

Because of her restlessness and shouting Lesley can no longer share a bedroom with her husband and finds her loss of independence hard to take.

"I have to rely on my family's help to do things I have always done for myself like driving, washing my hair and cutting up food," she said.

"I can't walk far as I sometimes fall and when I get tired or the medication is wearing off I am inclined to slur my speech which gives the impression of being drunk."

However, Lesley, from Willets Road, Droitwich, said from the start that she was determined to live with her condition and not let it take over her life.

She is now speaking out about the disease to raise awareness of the condition during Parkinson's Awareness Week. The main focus of the week is on people newly-diagnosed with Parkinson's and the launch of a new DVD, called Being There, aimed at answering the questions and concerns of people who have just found out they have the condition.

Lesley said the first signs she had that something was wrong was her leg or arm shaking when she sat down, and then being unable to pick up a pen.

Her writing then got so small she couldn't even read it herself.

She dismissed the signs at first, but one day saw Michael J Fox on the news describing how he had disguised his Parkinson's for years.

"It suddenly occurred to me that he was describing what I had been going through for 12 months," she said. "I didn't tell anyone at first, but when I found I was having difficulty walking through doorways without hitting the frame, I told my husband my suspicions."

An appointment with a neurologist confirmed her fears and Lesley remembers feeling shell-shocked - especially as she was just 44. It was several weeks before Lesley found out about the Parkinson's Disease Society, and in that time she had tried to find out information from library books - something she now regrets.

"The more I read the more frightening it bacame," she said. "When I found out about the society it was a relief - if only I had been told about them in the first place it would have saved a lot of worry.

"They were so reassuring. It took me two or three years to come to terms with the fact that I was losing my independence but I now accept things. Life goes on and there is always someone far worse off."

Lesley is a member of the Droitwich branch of the Worcester and District Parkinson's Disease Society which is holding a fund-raiser in Droitwich precinct on Saturday. As well as the tombola prizes she has been busy sticking raffle tickets on, there will be a bric-a-brac stall, cakes for sale and a children's fancy dress competition.

The event takes place from 10am to 2pm.

What is Parkinson's Disease?

Parkinson's is a progressive, neurological condition affecting movements such as walking, talking and writing. It affects about 120,000 people in the UK - there are nearly 200 people with Parkinson's in Worcester alone. Although more common in people aged over 60, about one in 20 of those diagnosed each year are under 40.

It is named after Dr James Parkinson (1755-1824), the London doctor who first identified Parkinson's as a specific condition.

Parkinson's occurs as result of a loss of nerve cells in part of the brain responsible for producing dopamine, which allows messages to be sent to the parts of the brain that co-ordinate movement.

When about 80 per cent of the dopamine has been lost, the symptoms of Parkinson's appear and the level of dopamine will continue to fall over many years.

The severity of the symptoms and the rate at which they progress is different for everyone.

There is no cure for Parkinson's, but researchers and scientist are steadily making advances.

For more information on Parkinson's disease and the work of the society call 01684 573713.