A-HA star Morten Harket reveals life-changing health diagnosis saying it could end his pop career
EIGHTIES A-ha pin-up Morten Harket has Parkinson's disease.
The
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Morten Harket has revealed he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
Credit: Getty
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The A-ha singer acknowledged it could affect his pop career
Credit: Getty
The star added: 'Part of me wanted to reveal it. Acknowledging the diagnosis wasn't a problem for me; it's my need for peace and quiet to work that has been stopping me.
'I'm trying the best I can to prevent my entire system from going into decline.
'It's a difficult balancing act between taking the medication and managing its side effects.
"There's so much to weigh up when you're emulating the masterful way the body handles every complex movement, or social matters and invitations, or day-to-day life in general.'
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Although the disease is not fatal, victims' condition gradually worsens over time.
It is the most widespread – and the fastest-spreading – neurological condition in the world.
Last year Norway-based Morten underwent neurosurgical procedures in which electrodes were implanted deep inside both sides of his brain. The procedure meant many of his physical symptoms practically vanished.
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He is still able to drive his boat - but is worried about being able to sing for much longer. And hits not yet released may never be heard by fans.
The star, whose hits included Scoundrel Days,
Summer
Moved On and Stay On These Roads, said: 'The problems with my voice are one of many grounds for uncertainty about my creative
future
.'
He added: 'I don't feel like singing, and for me that's a sign.
"I'm broadminded in terms of what I think works; I don't expect to be able to achieve full technical control.
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"The question is whether I can express myself with my voice. As things stand now, that's out of the question. But I don't know whether I'll be able to manage it at some point in the
future
.'
Looking forward he bravely said: 'I was always meant to do different things, but I've ended up with a fairly permanent position as singer in a band.
"When I say that my identity isn't about being a singer, that's my direct response. It comes straight from the heart.
"People associate me with it, naturally enough, and I realize that. I see singing as my responsibility, and at certain moments I think it's absolutely fantastic that I get to do it.
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"But I've got other passions too, I have other things that are just as big a part of me, that are just as necessary and true.'
The star told fans: 'Don't worry about me. Find out who you want to be – a process that can be new each and every day.
Everything you need to know about Parkinson's
Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition, meaning that it causes problems in the brain and gets worse over time.
It affects around 153,000 people in the UK.
People with Parkinson's don't have enough of the chemical dopamine because some of the nerve cells that make it have stopped working.
This can cause a range of more than 40 symptoms, but the three main ones are:
Tremor (shaking)
Slow movement
Rigidity (muscle stiffness)
Other common signs include:
Mild memory and thinking problems
Trouble sleeping
Issues with balance
Pain
Anxiety and depression
Shuffling walk with very small steps
Difficulty making facial expressions
Loss of sense of smell
Problems peeing
Constipation
The four main ways of managing Parkinson's include medication, staying active, exploring occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech and language therapy, and monitoring symptoms.
Source:
"Be good servants of nature, the very basis of our existence, and care for the environment while it is still possible to do so. Spend your
energy
and effort addressing real problems, and know that I am being taken care of.
'For a few years now I've been working on songs that I've got great belief in, and I feel the lyrics, especially, have something of a different aspect of me in them.
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"I'm not sure if I'll be able to finish them for release. Time will tell if they make it.
"I really like the idea of just going for it, as a Parkinson's patient and an artist, with something completely outside the box.
"It's all up to me, I just have to get this out of the way first.'
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The star has opened up on living with the illness
Credit: Getty
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Morten with his A-ha bandmates
Credit: Getty - Contributor
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Morten expressed fears that some of his tracks could go unheard as a result of the condition
Credit: Getty
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