Gary Button

Why I am fundraising for Parkinson's UK

My Dad is the reason I am running. 

Long before he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at just 46, he was the man who instilled in me a deep love of fitness and the discipline of exercise. 

He was the guy who would be first in line for the gym to open at 6am every morning, before heading off to work. There was never an excuse not to train, to keep pushing and to never give up. Those lessons have shaped my life.

Now 61, my Dad is living a reality that stands in cruel contrast to the active man he once was. 

Over the last 15 years, I have witnessed his journey with Parkinson's firsthand. I’ve watched him face medical retirement and give up the physical hobbies he once loved. I’ve watched the disease slowly take away the freedom of movement that he taught me to value so much.

Parkinson's is trying to rewrite his story, but I am running to help change the ending.

This isn't just a race. It’s a legacy. 

Every mile I train for is a tribute to the man who gave me my legs. 

But I’m also running for my two children, his grandchildren.

They adore their Pops (Grandad) and he lives for them. It breaks my heart to watch him fight to be the active, hands-on Pops he wants to be while his body increasingly limits what he can do.

Parkinson’s shouldn’t get to decide what his future looks like.

I want to turn the frustration and helplessness I feel as his son into something positive: funding research, supporting clinical trials, bringing us closer to better treatments and ultimately a cure.

Fitness has been a huge part of my life. From weightlifting, Kung Fu and boxing to half-marathons, Spartan races and HYROX, I’ve always pushed myself to see what I'm capable of.

This will be my first full marathon and my biggest challenge yet. I’m training with a specific, ambitious goal: to run sub-3 hours at the 2027 London Marathon.

I want to represent Parkinson’s at the sharp end of the race and use every mile, every training session and every conversation to raise as much awareness and money as possible.

I want to cross that finish line in 2027 to show my Dad that the fitness he taught me is being used to fight for his future. 

I'm not just running for a medal.

I'm running for my Dad.

I'm running for my children.

I'm running for a cure.

If you can donate, no matter how small, you’ll be helping me turn every mile into something that matters. 

Thank you.