Why I am fundraising for Parkinson's UK
Thank you for visiting my fundraising page! I’m taking part in the Great North Run on 7 September 2025 to raise vital funds for Parkinson's UK.
Please help by sponsoring me whatever you can. All the money raised will go to Parkinson’s UK nurses, to provide much-needed advice, support and information for people who are living with the condition.
My updates
I'm raising money for Parkinson's UK
Monday 7th Apr Hi everyone,I'm raising money for Parkinson's UK, a charity that means a great deal to me because my dad is living with Parkinson's.
When I decided to take on this challenge, I thought the most honest and meaningful way to share why was to ask my dad what it's really like to live with the condition. After all, no one understands it better than the person going through it every day.
This is what he had to say...
"Parkinson's is a progressive neurological disease. It is caused by a shortage of dopamine in the brain meaning some nerve endings stop working.
For me it means things take longer to get done, there is slowness of movement, tremor in both hands and a reduced sense of smell, and the occasional fall.
I currently take 19 tablets a day to stave off deterioration as much as possible.
I have an electronic chair in the bath otherwise I would not be able to get out without assistance.
I get tremendous help from my wife and children and the dedicated Parkinson's nurse. With everybody's help this means, I can maintain a reasonable level of movement. However, what cannot be controlled is the fact that the muscles in my small intestines have stopped working. This means I need to carefully plan when I leave the house."
To support this cause, I'll be running the Great North Run this September. I will be running for my dad, and for everyone affected by Parkinson's. Any donation, no matter how small, means so much - not just to me, but to so many others living with this disease.
