That's what Robyn Sharpe thought too until she was diagnosed 11 years ago aged at only 49.

"I wasn't aware of what Parkinson's was," she said.

"I thought it was just an old person's disease.

"I describe it as getting old before your time."

After suffering from soreness on her right side for quite sometime, Mrs Sharpe's husband Daryl was the first to raise alarm bells.

"I'd go for walks with Daryl and he said my right arm wouldn't swing and I was feeling sore in my right shoulder," she said.

"My osteopath actually diagnosed me and prompted me to go see a specialist.

"It was hard to be diagnosed. I was thankful it wasn't something like cancer. But I found it difficult telling my daughters."

The mother-of-three was able to stall the early progression of Parkinson's with medication but the disease has now spread to her left side, which means she can no longer work.

"Everybody has different symptoms from tremors, rigidness, slow movements and shuffling. Some people get freezing and develop small handwriting, they can lose their sense of smell and feel fatigued," she said.

"I ride around and I get dull spells from the medication. I can't concentrate as much and I have trouble walking as I have a limp from my feet being sore."

Mrs Sharpe has found solace in the Warrnambool Parkinson's support group.

"The support group has been really good. There's about 30 people who go each time but then there would be a lot of people with Parkinson's who don't come," she said.

"It's important to keep raising awareness and fundraising because we want a cure.

"Currently we have to manage Parkinson's with medication and exercises."

The group is holding A Walk in the Park on August 18 to raise awareness about Parkinson's.

The kilometre-long walk will begin at the breakwater Pavilion at 11am with Rotary sponsoring the event with a free sausage sizzle at the finish line. Children will receive a medal.

Organiser Andrew Suggett, who lives with Parkinson's, said he hoped to grow the event.

"Last year we had over 300 people walking, it was fantastic," he said.

"We invite family, friends, neighbours and pets to come along for the walk and there will be donation tins around and any money given is greatly appreciated.

"It's important to raise awareness for Parkinson's as people don't die of the disease but they die with it."

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.