It's a disease that affects around 80,000 Australians, and this Sunday people can show their support for Parkinson's sufferers simply by taking a walk in the park.

James Watson, himself a sufferer of Parkinson's, a neurological disease causing slowness of movement, muscle rigidity, instability and tremor, has organised the Port Douglas arm of the Unity Walk which is being run in towns and cities all over Queensland.

The short walk will take place in Rex Smeal Park on Sunday morning at 10am.

"It's part of the awareness of Parkinson's in Queensland. The main one will be run in Brisbane," Mr Watson said.

"The important thing is to make people aware of the Port Douglas and Mossman Parkinson’s Support Group.

"We've got five sufferers like myself, five carers, and about ten people who come along because their parents or friends have got Parkinson's."

Mr Watson said it was not uncommon for people with Parkinson's to suffer in silence, or in his case, deny there was a problem.

"I went to a conference and what I got out of it is that Parkinson’s is a very personal and private thing. It's something you keep to yourself.

"...in my case, I just did not even accept I had something wrong with me, but just to satisfy my daughter...the shock that I got when they turned around and told me I had it, I couldn't believe it.

"Then when I started looking at myself, that's when I realised that I had shakes."

A diagnosis can occur at any age, with the most common age of diagnosis being 50-60 years of age. According to Mrs Helen Crew, CEO of Parkinson’s Queensland, one Australian is diagnosed with the disease every hour.

“Among Australians aged over 55 years, Parkinson’s is more prevalent than breast cancer, colorectal, stomach, liver and pancreatic cancer," she said.

“Yet, although Parkinson’s causes greater disability than in people living with other conditions currently recognised as chronic, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and vascular disease, the disease is not recognised as a priority chronic condition in Australia."

To take part in the walk is by gold coin donation, or you can support James by jumping online at the Unity Walk website and making a donation to help Parkinson's sufferers.

If you'd like more information on the Unity Walk or the Port Douglas and Mossman Parkinson's Support Group you can call James on 0438 148 691 or email him at sahanzu@bigpond.com.