Trophies line the Luqa living room of 79-year-old couple Victor and Celia Markham, who discovered their love for ballroom dancing in their 50s and have lately rekindled their passion – this time as part of their treatment for Parkinson’s Disease.

Both were diagnosed with the disease five years ago, after their symptoms started a few days apart. They continued to dance but were forced to stop for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

When I’m sad and I suddenly hear the music, I feel happy inside. It’s everything to me- Cilia Markham

However, now, the couple – who have won a number of ballroom competitions and have the trophies to prove it – have gone back to the dance floor.

“Dance means everything to me. When I’m sad and I suddenly hear the music, I feel happy inside. It’s everything to me,” says Celia.

“We can’t do the jumping and turning anymore so we have to do the waltz but at least we’re moving.”

Her husband adds: “This helps us as we are doing a lot of exercise we don’t do at home. Since we started going back two weeks ago, Celia is getting much better.

“We are now meeting people who have Parkinson’s and everyone relates their stories.”

Victor is referring to the movement classes organised by NGO Step Up for Parkinson’s.

Parkinson’s Disease is a brain disorder that may lead to shaking, stiffness and difficulty with walking, balance and coordination. Symptoms usually begin gradually and get worse over time.

Five times I asked her out and five times she said no. On the sixth one, she said ‘yes’- Victor Markham

Sitting in their living room, the couple show us a video featuring several elderly people with Parkinson’s dancing with their spouses while a large photo of them in their youth is projected behind them.

The video is emotional as some elderly people dance to an empty chair.

“Everyone cries when they see it,” Celia says, as I wipe away the tears I was hoping to hide.

The moves Celia and Victor perform as they dance might be milder and slower than they once were but their passion and love for each other is clearly as strong as it was when they first met. They were just 14 years old.

Sixth time lucky

Victor’s family had moved to Blata l-Bajda, close to Celia’s childhood home. Celia was friends with Victor’s sister who wanted to matchmake them.

One day, Celia went to Victor’s house for what she thought would be their first date and he was not there – he had gone out with someone else.

Years passed and Victor joined the British army and was stationed in Germany, returning to Malta on weekends.

One day, when they were 21-years-old, he went out for an errand.

“I was heading to Valletta and she was coming out after work. She said: ‘Aren’t you Victor Markham?’ I liked her – she looked nice and still does,” he said.

“Five times I asked her out and five times she said no. On the sixth one, she said ‘yes’.”

The first date they went on was to the cinema in Valletta followed by a walk in the Floriana gardens where they asked a passer-by to take a photo of them using Victor’s camera.

The black and white photo is one of the many displayed in their hallway.

Victor then returned to Germany and came back to Malta three months later to propose. Within nine months, the couple were married. That was 56 years ago.

They went on to have three daughters – Alison, Hilarie and Janet – and now have several grandchildren.

The dancing bug

In the first years of their marriage, Victor travelled a lot as he was still stationed overseas as a mechanical engineer within the Royal Mechanical and Electrical Engineers where he worked for nine years.

Then, when the couple were 50-years-old, they discovered ballroom dancing.

“My sister used to go dancing and asked us to go and see her. We went along and we caught the bug,” he said.

Celia had done a bit of dancing before and always loved being surrounded by music. They took part in several competitions, winning medals and trophies.

Then, five years ago, they were both diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

“We both have no family history with the disease. Yet, one day, he started with a tremble in his hands and, a few days later, I started experiencing the same symptoms,” she recalls.

Now the couple – who both turn 80 next summer – want to rekindle their love for dancing with the help of Step Up for Parkinson’s. As long as they can move, they will try to dance in one way or another.

Celia asks her husband to help her out of the armchair as she needs to take her pill, which she takes every four hours.

“A lot of men in Malta forget what the women did for them when they were married. I have not forgotten what she did for me and the children. Today, I have to get her out of bed.

“She apologises and I tell her: ‘Don’t. You’ve done all this for me... now I get to do it for you’,” he says.

And she adds: “I married an angel not a man… I love to dance and I always tell him: when I’m on my death bed play me some music and I will be revived.”

Step Up for Parkinson’s are organising a fundraising marathon today. The 12-hour event will be aired on One.com.mt, Net Television and F Living.