'A terrible disease': Photographer raising Parkinson's awareness with book of vintage cars
A local man who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease over a decade ago isn’t allowing the disease to prevent him from following his passions and achieving big goals.
Steve Van Vlaenderen was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2011. Since then, he’s continued to pursue his passions of fitness and photography.
Now, he’s releasing his first photography book called ‘Vanishing Wheels,’ which showcases vintage vehicles in the Prairies.
Though Van Vlaenderen describes his Parkinson’s diagnosis as ‘kick in the stomach,' he made the decision to keep living life to the fullest.
“Exercise was my medicine, and you just keep going, don’t stop,” he said in an interview with CTV Morning Live on Friday.
“It’s a neurological disease, not a mental disease. It doesn’t impair your cognitive ability, it just slows you down a bit.”
With his new book, Van Vlaenderen travelled all around Western Canada to capture the snapshots of vintage cars.
He said through the journey he took 10,000 images.
“It’s nostalgia for me…each vehicle that I take a picture of has a story,” Van Vlaenderen said.
“Then it also has an understory, so it’s layered.”
Proceeds from the purchase of ‘Vanishing Wheels’ go to Parkinson Canada.
“They have to find a cure,” said Van Vlaenderen. “It’s a terrible disease to deal with.”
- With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagace.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP wants Liberals to scrap proposed election date change that could secure pensions for many MPs
The federal New Democrats want to amend the Liberal government's electoral reform legislation to scrap the proposal to push back the vote by a week and consequently secure pensions for dozens of MPs, CTV News has learned.
Drive one of these vehicles? You may pay 37 per cent more than average insurance costs due to thefts
As the number of auto theft incidents rises in Canada, so have insurance premiums for drivers, even the ones whose vehicles aren't stolen.
Doug Ford suggests immigrants behind Jewish school shooting
Ontario Premier Doug Ford suggested immigrants are to blame for the shooting of an empty Jewish school in Toronto over the weekend, despite police saying they have little information on the suspects.
Supreme Court won't hear appeal in Montreal brainwashing experiments case
The Supreme Court of Canada will not review a Quebec ruling that bars people from suing the U.S. government in Canada over its role in notorious brainwashing experiments at a Montreal psychiatric hospital.
Donald Trump can sue niece over NY Times article, court rules
A New York state appeals court said Donald Trump can sue his niece Mary Trump for giving the New York Times information for its Pulitzer Prize-winning 2018 probe into his finances and his alleged effort to avoid taxes.
Shania Twain shares how she forgave her ex-husband's cheating: 'It's his mistake'
Shania Twain recently addressed the infidelity that rocked her marriage to Robert 'Mutt' Lange, whom she divorced in 2010 after he had an affair with her friend, Marie-Anne Thiébaud.
Teen pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of homeless man in downtown Toronto
One of eight teen girls charged in the death of a homeless man in downtown Toronto has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Princess of Wales to miss major military display next month amid cancer treatment
Catherine, Princess of Wales, will not be returning to royal duties with an appearance at the Colonel’s Review, a military parade in London in early June, as she continues her treatment for cancer.
Police arrest 19-year-old suspect after Montreal triple homicide
Police have made an arrest following a deadly street fight that ended with three people killed in Montreal's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough last week.