Emily Easthope

Why I'm fundraising for Parkinson's UK

Thank you for visiting my fundraising page! I’m taking part in Run 50/50 for Parkinson’s UK, running 50 miles in 50 days to support the Parkinson’s community.

Parkinson's UK is a charity that is personally important to my family and I. My mom was diagnosed in 2018 with early onset Parkinson's, since then, we have all learnt how little is known about Parkinson's and the treatments that are available. It is the UK's fastest growing neurological diagnosis, yet it does not get the funding it needs. 

My mom's journey has not been easy or straightforward, from searching and fighting for a diagnosis, to people not understanding that Parkinson's is often an invisible disability - with extremely visible signs that sometimes manifest randomly. 

However, I can confidently say that she is the strongest woman I know. She is not only strong solely due to her tenacity and optimism towards not letting Parkinson's define her or stop her from doing things she wants to do. She also displays her strength through living with a disease that is unpredictable and extremely physically and mentally painful at times. 

My mom is a wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend; she is a person who does not let her disease define her. She is also known to have a great sense of style and grace in everything she does. 

If you’re able to sponsor me, my family and I would be so grateful. Every penny helps fund groundbreaking research and life-changing support for people living with Parkinson’s.