It was only a short phone call but it changed Pam Hart's life.

The friend on the other end of the line had Parkinson's disease and found it very difficult to talk so managing to have a brief conversation on the phone was a major achievement.

Mrs Hart, 67, has spent the past three months running special classes for people with the illness, aimed at improving their speech and building up their confidence.

A retired school speech and drama teacher, Mrs Hart has gone back to the area she loves best - education.

The sense of satisfaction she gets when one of her pupils makes a breakthrough helps her to cope with her own health problems.

Mrs Hart, from Worthing, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease herself about seven years ago.

It is a progressive, neurological disorder, affecting learnt voluntary movements such as walking, talking, writing and swallowing.

The cause is as yet unidentified and there is no known cure but in the UK if affects one in 500 people.

Although often perceived as an older person's condition, of the 10,000 British people diagnosed each year, one in 20 is under 40.

The main treatment is drug therapy, which helps to control the symptoms.

Good management of the condition also relies on physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and self help.

In Mrs Hart's case it is her balance rather than speech that has been affected.

Running the regular twice-monthly sessions as part of an 18-month project has helped provide an important focus to her life.

She said: "No two cases of Parkinson's disease are alike. It is very individual. Some people may lose their balance, while others lose their speech.

"Some will get the shakes, while others will go rigid when their muscles go into spasm. It can affect the facial muscles and those used to help with speaking, which makes communication extremely difficult.

"Often a person's confidence will go because of this."

During the sessions, the group works on a series of breathing and speaking exercises, relaxation techniques and role play.

Mrs Hart said: "The sessions can sometimes turn out to almost be self-help sessions as people offer advice. The most important thing is to get people talking.

"Sessions can include specific role-plays such as how a person copes if they are struggling to get money out of their purse in a shopping queue and someone is rude to them."

Mrs Hart says she was flexible about what was discussed and acted out.

Sometimes it could come from real-life events or was simply a made-up scenario.

The group has gone from strength to strength and over the last couple of weeks she has been getting people to use the phone to call her.

Mrs Hart, who is a member of the Worthing and district branch of the Parkinson's Disease Society, was given a £4,128 National Lottery-funded grant to continue the project and is hoping to help as many people as she can.

She said: "When I was first diagnosed, the first thing I felt was a sense of relief. I had been feeling so ill it was a relief to know what was actually wrong with me.

"After that came the anger. It was a shock.

"There I was getting ready to enjoy my retirement and then this happened.

"However, you have to keep positive and get on with your life.

"This type of teaching is my way of coping.

"When you have this condition you have to try to lead the best life you can. There is no cure but the drug treatments work very well.

"When I was diagnosed with the condition I remember being told people can die with Parkinson's but they don't die from Parkinson's. That is an important thing to remember."

People wanting more information about the Worthing and district branch should call 01903 700744.

The Parkinson's Disease Society can be contacted on 020 7931 8080 or at www.parkinsons.org.uk