FROM he was 13 years old, Adrian Parkes has been suffering from a painful condition in his left leg.

After another 13 years of constant misery and visits to the doctor, Parkes was diagnosed with lymphedema. Since his condition was highlighted in the Jamaica Observer earlier this year, he has started treatment in Kingston. As a result of the treatment he has lost 17 pounds from the leg which prevented the sports lover from participating in many of the games that he loves. However, the process is not complete and Parkes is again appealing to Jamaica for help.

He said that the weekly cost of his treatment is $37,500.

Parkes said that the leg is expected to return to approximately 90 per cent normalcy. However, the ankle and knee may not be significantly improved because of the pressure on the bones in these areas over the years.

“I feel great. Mi play two cricket match since mi come back and win the two of them. I also feel faster,” he said.

He is grateful that he is finally receiving well-needed treatment, after having visited doctors in St Ann, Trelawny, Montego Bay, and even Kingston, with none being able to help him out of the excruciating pain he has been feeling for years.

Parkes said things started to look bright when he visited Dr Pinnock in Discovery Bay, St Ann. She sent him to a Dr Hamilton in Priory, who made the diagnosis. He then visited Dr Paula Estwick, who recommended that he visit a doctor in Kingston. His final stop was at Dr Bernadette Frankson, who is now administering treatment.

“She is amazing,” Parkes said in revealing that he has made “significant progress” since he started going to Physical Therapy Solutions in St Andrew where Dr Frankson works.

Now, he is also grateful to all the doctors who have so far assisted him.

“Mi thank them very much,” he said during an interview with the Sunday Observer.

“Put that ‘very big’ in capital letters,” he stated.

“I thank Kim Brown, Stacey Webb, Dr Paula Estwick … I thank everybody who helped,” he said.

“The Facebook family and the people in the streets who help, I want to thank them,” he added. “I still need more help to complete the process. It is more than 50 per cent there,” he said.

Earlier this year, Parkes’s plight was highlighted in the Sunday Observer, with people stepping forward soon after to assist.

“I feel light, I still need some more help to complete the procedure,” said Parkes, who works as a landscaper.

Parkes has also benefited from the initiatives of Brown’s Town councillor/caretaker Kim Brown Lawrence.

“In February, he contacted me on Facebook for help. I immediately placed his story on Facebook, did walkathons and our monthly charity fish fry. Adrian is not in my division, but he needed help and received it,” Brown Lawrence said.

Parkes hopes to start his second round of treatment soon if he can acquire the money needed to do it.