Three years ago, John Hood had a seizure while driving his car, which caused him to crash into a tree.
He broke his arm and his car was written off.
It was then Mr Hood realised he was experiencing the symptoms of a diagnosis he received in 2014.
"I suppose before then I'd be on the farm hiding, a little bit, the fact that I was losing my balance badly, I was falling over a little bit," he said.
The 63-year-old has a rare medical condition called superficial siderosis.
"Your brain sort of gradually dies over a period of time, and the cerebellum at the back will die eventually," Mr Hood said.
"My balance is something I really struggle with, that's been my biggest one – walking and not falling over."
So Mr Hood moved south-west from his farm in Kojaneerup in Western Australia's Great Southern region to the coastal town of Albany.
In Albany he can access the medical services he needs and surround himself with a supportive sporting community.
"I do a lot of very good physical therapy in Albany at MS WA with a great neurological physio, and she's trying to teach me to do other things and work heavily on my fitness," Mr Hood said.
"I also found bowls, and it's been great."
The bowling bug
At first Mr Hood tried to bowl as normal, but he "just kept falling over".
Then a friend suggested a bowling arm and he "got the bug".
A bowling arm gives players the ability to deliver the bowl from a standing position.
It's an extension of the arm with a bowl grip at one end and a handle at the other.
Mr Hood is now trying to make the state bowling arm team.
"There's a state championship, late April early May, in Perth — so I'm looking forward to that," he said.
"I have actually, I thought, bowled pretty well, but as we all know it gets tight at the top and there's a lot of good bowlers out there … well a lot better than me, I think.
"I'm just having a good go at it I suppose."
As Mr Hood prepares for the championships, he credits his bowling arm which allows him to play despite his diagnosis.
Mr Hood is preparing for the championships and is urging others like him to consider using a bowling arm.
"I'm telling this story, but there's so many people with a bowling arm who have the same story," he said.
"That's a big one, getting them to do something they might not be able to do, and all of a sudden they can keep playing as they've got older or injured.
"Certainly for me it just allows me to do something, socialise more and stuff like that."
