I'm running the 2027 London Marathon for Parkinson's UK
Thank you for visiting my fundraising page. In April 2027 I'll be running the 2027 TCS London Marathon for Parkinson’s UK and would really appreciate your support!
A bit about why I'm running for Parkinson's UK:
For anyone who thinks 'why is Kev asking me to donate AGAIN for him doing some sort of run?', you'll be aware that in April 2026 I ran the London Landmarks Half Marathon for Alzheimer's UK. This was as a result of my dad having been diagnosed with Dementia around 4 years ago and wanting to help contribute to fund their research.
As well as having been diagnosed with Dementia, my dad has also been living for the last 11 years with Parkinson's.
Parkinson's is - currently - an incurable disease. Estimates suggest that around 165k people in the UK have the disease, with no way of ever being able to recover. Although there are some ways to try and manage Parkinson's to maintain an ever-diminishing standard of life, and there are some optimistic treatment protocols being trialled, ultimately once you're diagnosed with Parkinson's there is no going back.
This year I applied and have been fortunate enough to be chosen to represent Parkinson's UK across the 26.2miles / 46.2kilometres of the London Marathon.
Although I hope to be well trained and optimistic about being able to finish the distance by next April, it will still be the furthest I've ever run and is a challenge to anyone that takes part.
With my dad having both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's (some people have all the luck, eh?), my mum has become a full-time carer for him.
For anyone who thinks 'why is Kev asking me to donate AGAIN for him doing some sort of run?', you'll be aware that in April 2026 I ran the London Landmarks Half Marathon for Alzheimer's UK. This was as a result of my dad having been diagnosed with Dementia around 4 years ago and wanting to help contribute to fund their research.
As well as having been diagnosed with Dementia, my dad has also been living for the last 11 years with Parkinson's.
Parkinson's is - currently - an incurable disease. Estimates suggest that around 165k people in the UK have the disease, with no way of ever being able to recover. Although there are some ways to try and manage Parkinson's to maintain an ever-diminishing standard of life, and there are some optimistic treatment protocols being trialled, ultimately once you're diagnosed with Parkinson's there is no going back.
This year I applied and have been fortunate enough to be chosen to represent Parkinson's UK across the 26.2miles / 46.2kilometres of the London Marathon.
Although I hope to be well trained and optimistic about being able to finish the distance by next April, it will still be the furthest I've ever run and is a challenge to anyone that takes part.
With my dad having both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's (some people have all the luck, eh?), my mum has become a full-time carer for him.
My mum herself was an amazing runner, and has achieved more with her two legs than I can only dream of. She has run London Marathon 16 times, and completed another 8 marathons including Dublin, Beachy Head and the overnight SHINE walking marathons. More impressively, she completed 5 ultra marathons in Iceland, the Sahara, Egypt, the Atacama and Jordan, covering around 250km across 6 days, effectively a marathon on each day for just short of a week, all in extreme environments. She truly is a remarkable person, and the same mental fortitude that got her through all those hours of running is used and tested every day while caring for my dad. You'd think that all those runs took her an entire adulthood to conquer, but ever more amazingly she ran her first marathon at the age of 46.
On the 25th April 2027, the day that I'll get to tackle my first marathon, I'll turn 46 years old too. It feels serendipitous that I can run to help find a cure to one of the disease's my dad, but also do something to recognise the huge effort my mum puts in every day to help my dad live as good a life as he can.
Big or small, thank you for your generousity. It really will make a difference to all families out there dealing with this debhilitating disease.
A little bit about the charity I'm running for:
We’re Parkinson’s UK. The charity that’s here to support every Parkinson’s journey, every step of the way. Wherever you’re from, whatever you need.
We’re Parkinson’s UK. The charity that’s here to support every Parkinson’s journey, every step of the way. Wherever you’re from, whatever you need.
We don’t wait for change, we make it happen. We believe that together we’ll find a cure. But that’s not all we’re working for. We campaign for better health and care, fund research into ground-breaking new treatments, and run life-changing support services.
Families, volunteers, campaigners, fundraisers, scientists, health and care workers. We’re a powerful community united by one mission: improving life with Parkinson’s.
Go on Kev, you can do it! Love Kev x