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Mega group Pop Choir release single Stronger Than Blood to raise awareness for Parkinson’s disease and Shake It Up research
Friday, 19th September 2025
TikTok viral sensation Pop Choir are back with a new single for 2025 to raise awareness for a cause close to their hearts.
The group will release Stronger Than Blood on September 19 to raise awareness for Parkinson’s disease, and funds in support of Shake It Up Australia Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation established in partnership with The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF).
With more than 1,000 members in Melbourne, Pop Choir is Australia’s largest community choir with over 100 million TikTok views for their rehearsal videos. Since forming a decade ago, the group’s videos have drawn accolades from stars such as Miley Cyrus, Teddy Swims and Alex Warren to name a few.
Around 350 Pop Choir members recently took part in the recording for Stronger Than Blood. People can donate to Shake It Up via Pop Choir’s website www.popchoir.com.au
The choir’s co-founder Sharon Stokes said she wanted to honour the memory of her father Len Stokes with the song which was written by Sharon’s husband, and choir co-founder, Darryl Moulton. Len was diagnosed with the disease in 2011 and passed away in 2017 from complications due to Lewy Body Dementia.
“Watching Dad – a kind man with a sharp sense of humour and deep love for his family -struggle with Parkinson’s was heartbreaking,” Ms Stokes said. “Since sharing this with our choir community we’ve heard many stories. Some are going through this now with family, others have been diagnosed themselves. Parkinson’s is the world’s fastest growing neurological disorder, so spreading awareness is important to us.”
According to Shake It Up, between 50-80% of people with Parkinson’s disease will develop some type of dementia in the long term.
“With Parkinson’s now the world’s fastest growing neurological disease, a coordinated approach to ending the disease is rapidly becoming a priority in Australia and across the globe”, said Vicki Miller, CEO of Shake It Up.
“Research is key to helping us understand the environmental factors that contribute to the disease, so that we can work towards developing strategies to mitigate their impact”.
Ms Miller added that the statistics around Parkinson’s are confronting. “The disease affects an estimated 10 million people worldwide and over 200,000 in Australia.
“Each day 38 people nationwide are diagnosed with the disease. One in five sufferers are under 50, and 10 percent are diagnosed before 40. Michael J. Fox was diagnosed when he was just 29.”
In Australia, the number of people with Parkinson’s has increased by 17% in the last six years, with costs to the community also increasing by over 48%.
“The prevalence of Parkinson’s in Australia is greater than prostate, bowel, and many other forms of cancer, and the total number of Parkinson’s sufferers is 4 times the number of people living with MS”, said Ms Miller.
Several of Shake It Up’s ambassadors also feature in the videoclip. The organisation was established in 2011 to promote and fund Parkinson’s disease research in Australia aimed at better treatments and ultimately a cure.
Shake It Up’s founding directors cover all the overhead and administration costs of the Foundation, meaning that 100% of every donation goes directly into life-changing Australian Parkinson’s disease research.
Ms Stokes said while her dad’s decline into Parkinsons was slow, soon after he was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia in 2017, he rapidly succumbed. “I was in Melbourne while Mum and my sister cared for him in Adelaide,” she explained. “With each home visit there were more heartbreaking changes. My last visit was on my daughter’s second birthday, four weeks before he passed.
“Mum managed his meals, showers, and dressing while working full-time. My sister balanced her own family and job to help. That final visit, Dad whispered that someone was following him, trying to shoot him. He was terrified – hallucinating. Soon after, anti-anxiety medication triggered a sharp, irreversible decline. He became stiff, fell, and was admitted to hospital.
“In fleeting moments of clarity, he still checked in saying things like, “Are you okay for money, Sha?” Then, looking at Mum, he’d say, “It’s okay. It’s my time to go.”
Len’s last days were difficult, but on August 6, he passed peacefully. “He was finally free of suffering,” said Ms Stokes. “He died on my birthday – the man who gave me life earned his wings the same day.
“Darryl’s beautiful song captures the grief, love, and memories of this journey. It honours Dad but also gives others a way to remember their loved ones and know they’re not alone. We hope it becomes more than a performance – a moment of connection, awareness, and remembrance, while supporting Shake It Up in their vital work for those with Parkinson’s and related diseases.”