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How yoga helps this Hong Kong husband with a rare neurodegenerative disease stay balanced
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 affects 52-year-old David Lee’s coordination and speech, but Iyengar yoga has given him a new lease on life
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When David Lee first stumbled on the street in Hong Kong seven years ago, unable to walk in a straight line, he had no idea it was an early sign of a rare neurological disorder that would change his life forever.
He was diagnosed with spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) in May 2022, two months after losing his mother to Covid-19. His ensuing journey from uncertainty to resilience is a testament to the power of determination, unwavering support and yoga.
SCA3 is an inherited, progressive, neurodegenerative disorder that affects muscle control, leading to problems with coordination, balance and movement. Lee, a 52-year-old mutual fund executive, was 45 when his symptoms first surfaced in 2018.
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“I had a few unpredictable falls. One day, while walking on the street, I fell flat. I also began having difficulties with my speech,” he says.
“The muscles near my vocal cords became very tight, and my voice would be off, flat, without any pitch.”
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It took the doctors four years to diagnose the disease. “They thought it could be ataxia [poor muscle control that causes clumsy movements] caused by alcohol consumption or liver cancer,” he says.
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