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Lucy Couling

TCS London Marathon 2023

Help me reach my goal of £2,100

Why I am fundraising for Parkinson's UK

Beginning of November 2022 I turned the wonderful age of 25, and at the end of that same November I unfortunately had to say goodbye to my hero, my Grandma. I never got to know my beautiful Grandma without Parkinson's - at the time of her death she had been diagnosed with Parkinson's for 30 years, 5 years longer than I had been alive. However, one thing this incredible woman taught me during the time I was privileged enough to know her, is that as long as you have the right mindset, and right people around you, there's nothing you can't do. 

My Nanna was potentially the most stubborn person on the planet, if she wanted something done she'd do it, whether that be climbing ladders to get to the attic, cleaning windows, or doing the gardening - if she wanted it done, she would do it, Parkinson's or not. I remember popping round once for some lunch, and she was on what she would call "a go-er" so we somehow ended up painting her bathroom and wrapping Christmas presents - despite it being nowhere near Christmas.  

My Nanna completed the 5km Cancer Research Race for Life for 17 years in a row, from 2004-2022 (missing one for covid). She would shake her collection bucket at everyone she did (and didn't) know, and if you were lucky enough to be a loved one of my nanna she would ask you several times until you'd donated something. I don't have a figure for how much she raised during this, but I know it was a lot. I remember one year her saying that she would do it alone even if it took her all day if no one could be there to help push her in her chair when she could not walk any further. 

My nanna never let Parkinson's get in her way, but I do remember my Nanna getting upset sometimes because her tremors were bad or she was in one of her 'slow' periods and she just couldn't do the things she wanted.  

The treatment for Parkinson's is limited and there is no cure. Whilst Parkinson's doesn't cause death it is an extremely complex neurological condition with an extensive list of symptoms and complications that can arise. 

Everytime my Nanna forgot something, or called someone the wrong name there was a pit in the stomach of everyone who loved her, wondering if this is the onset of dementia that is statistically more likely if you have Parkinson's. Everyone would laugh it off as a "who can remember names when you have 9 kids and an insane number of grandchildren" - but that didn't stop the fear.

And then everytime you saw she was climbing in cupboards or in the garden alone, or everytime you got a phone call to say she was on the floor again, your heart was in your stomach knowing that falls are one of the leading causes of death in Parkinson's. 

I'm running the London Marathon this year to honour of the wonderfully beautiful, stubborn and funny woman that I am so lucky to call my Nanna. You taught me to be determined, and stubborn, and that if I'm determined enough, I can do anything I want in life, and so I'm going to do the London Marathon with only 8 weeks of training. 

My hope through raising this money is that in the future the quality of life for those with Parkinson's will be better, and one day, there will be a cure.

Every hour, two more people are diagnosed with Parkinson's. With your help, and donations, Parkinson's UK can fund better care, drive research breakthroughs and one day find a cure.

We are the Parkinson’s community. We can shape Parkinson’s research. We can transform lives. Together we can find a cure.

Please help me
reach my goal

Raised

£1,508 + £ 228.92 GiftAid

My Goal

£2,100

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My updates

Grandma's Medals

Tuesday 18th Apr
Proof of what a determined, kind, and wonderful person she was. By the time my Grandma did her first Race for Life for Cancer Research in 2004 she had already been diagnosed with Parkinsons for 12 years. The word Diagnosed is important, because Grandma was so young for the presentation of Parkinsons, it took her a while to get her diagnosis so whilst she had been diagnosed with Parkinsons for 12 years, she had Parkinsons Disease a lot longer. 

I went round her old village in Wales this weekend, speaking to villagers and asking for sponsorship. It was bittersweet because I was back in Wales to bury my Grandma, but I was having chats with people who knew, and were friends with my Grandma. We had many of lovely chats with people, many of which were about this time of year being the time of year she'd be making her sponsorship collections to do the race for life thats 2 and a half weeks away now. It was lovely to reminisce, and see how much she meant to other people, and also to have other people speak of what a determined wonderful woman she was. 

It feels good to do something to honour her charitable legacy, and hopefully these donations will help so people with Parkinsons in the future, can live a better life.

Why Raising Money for Parkinsons is so needed

Monday 17th Apr
For the majority of my grandma's time diagnosed with Parkinson's, she would have to travel all the way from Aberystwyth to Swansea to see a Parkinsons specialist, which was a 150 mile round trip each time.

My grandma also had a deep brain stimulation machine to help minimise her Parkinson's symptoms, but this was managed by a team in Bristol - so whenever she needed her battery changing or anything like that, it was a lovely long road trip to Bristol. This one was a 250 mile round trip - and a lot of time spent in the back of ambulances.
There was a neurologist in Aberystwyth that she would occasionally see, but no specialist, until they got a Parkinsons Nurse.
Unfortunately, parkinsons specialists are few and far between, and the specialists you have access to massively depends on where you live; hence why more funding is necessary. It's a post-code lottery, and no one should ever have to do 250 miles of travelling just for one Dr's appointment, just for the specialist care my Grandma required.

It's not like Grandma was the only person in Aberystwyth with Parkinsons, or even the only person in mid-wales, but this is the reality for everyone with Parkinsons in these rural areas.
£75 would fund a Parkinson's nurse-led clinic in the community for half a day.
£500 would fund a parkinsons nurse for 25 hours.
£1000 would fund a research project for a week.
So far we've managed to raise over £1100 which is amazing!! Any further donations would be extremely appreciated as it really could help those living with Parkinson's

Thank you to my sponsors

£10

Hannah Rowland

Well done Lucy you smashed it 💪🏼

£10

Amy Towns

£5

Megan

£30

Lyndon Brown

£10

Kacey Jackson

Good luck Lucy, an amazing cause and I’m sure you’ll smash it! Xx

£10

Katie Lancaster

Good luck Lucy! Great cause! X

£20

Gem Turner

Good luck Lucy - you’ll be amazing!!!

£50

Emma Williams

Good luck to you, you’ll smash it! X

£30.69

Chris

Good luck Lucy, you’re an inspiration 🫶🏽

£10

James S

£10

Helen Stoddart

Goodluck xxx

£10

Anonymous

£50

Sophie

your amazing for even signing up for a marathon! Go get em girl. Nanny would be so proud xxx

£20

Auntie Kylie

Good luck, not that you’ll need it you’re going to smash this, really proud of you xx

£5

Alicia Schofield

£10

Amy Toolis

Good luck lucy you will smash it!! Xx

£10

Amelia Couling

she’d be telling you you’re crazy, but she’d be proud! i’ll make sure to track your run, you’ll smash it. 🎉

£5

Luke Peers

£10

Anne Roberts

Good luck. It will be a fabulous day and a wonderful experience too.

£5

Jason Perkins

Hope you achieve your goal!

£5

Alun

£5

Uncle Kevin

£2

Cheryl & Rob Yorkshire

£10

Christine Pooley

£10

H. Jones

£5

Edwina Davies

£25

Marcus & Lisa

£15

Alayne & Nick Reeves

£260

Mark

£10 per Mile

£20

Auntie Tina

Good luck sweet., nanny will be super proud of you, raising awareness and money for Parkinsons and for loving and caring for Mali. 🐈‍⬛ your a good girl.💞 xx

£20

Sue Burnip

£5

Lee Warner

Good luck

£5

Aiden Chiu

£20

Deborah Couling

Good luck Lucy xx

£10

Alex Smith

£5

Kyal Smalley

£20

Shiny Patta

All the very best Lucy!

£10

Lucy Owen

£5

Jessica North

Good luck girl

£20

Stacey

If anyone can do this, you can! Reading why you’re doing this I think you have a lot of qualities from your nanna & I think she’d be super proud of you, I know I am!

£10

Rowanne Dinning

£40

Petra Hughes

£20

Emma Woodward

You can do it! I believe in you

£100

Luke Wilkinson

Doing a great thing lucy she would be proud

£50

Paul Moran

Will Shrewsbury Station ever be the start of so many conversations again.....you will smash this and she will be so proud

£20

Wei Kwok

£50

Elizabeth Moore

Good luck mate you're gonna crush this :)

£20

Dan Cullen

£20

Jaymz Robinson

good luck Lucy me favourite welsh person you got this! x

£5

Luke Peers

Good Luck Lucy. Did you remember to switch the COSTA Fridge light on ?

£10

Billy Williams

Nanny will be with you every step of the way sweetheart

£50

Jessica Hodge

Good luck Lucy! So proud of you! You're going to absolutely smash this! Xxx

£10

Georgina Arnold

Good luck Lucy x

£5

Sarah Rafferty

Good luck Lucy!

£5

Susan V Evans

£20

Dot

In memory of my dear friend Barb love always Dot

£10

Amy Brook

Good luck!! You man will be so proud of you x

£20

Becky

Wishing you the best of luck Lucy

£10

Lewis Cottrell

Good luck xx

£10

Diane

Goodluck

£50

Cathy And Paul (libby's Mum And Dad)

Good luck Lucy - it's a great cause and your Nanna would be very proud of you

£10

Michelle Couling

I am so proud of you and your write up bought me to tears. Nanny will be watching you run and she will always be in your heart.

£20

Susie Wong

Good luck Lucy! Xxx

£25

Izzy Woolrych

Your Nanna sounds amazing and I'm sure she'd be very proud of you for this. Best of luck!! Xx

£50

Liv

You’re gonna smash this mate, so proud of you!

£20

Lacey Johnson

You will smash it Lucy 🩷

£50

Lucy Couling

For Grandma <3