Sophie Todd

Why I am fundraising for Parkinson's UK

Thank you for visiting my fundraising page! I’m taking part in the Manchester Marathon for Parkinson’s UK and would really appreciate your support! 

Parkinson’s affects roughly 166,000 people in the UK and is a neurological condition that can severely impact the quality of life of those with the condition. 

I’m running in memory of my grandad, who suffered from Parkinson’s. I remember my grandad as someone who was always active; he spent many years fishing and playing cricket, football, snooker and darts. That is, until Parkinson’s happened. He suddenly wasn’t able to do all of the things that he enjoyed and had planned to do in his retirement. Daily life, even down to drinking a cup of coffee, suddenly felt impossible due to tremors, reduced mobility and intense pain. Often when people hear the word ‘Parkinson’s’, they mostly think of shaky hands and wobbly legs. My family have seen firsthand how debilitating this condition can be in many other ways. My grandad worked incredibly hard all his life and his few years of retirement were spent trying to help care for my nan (who passed away from cancer in 2022), while suffering from Parkinson’s and battling cancer himself. It really felt like Parkinson’s and cancer robbed him of the time of his life he was waiting to enjoy the most and I want to raise money for Parkinson’s UK so that more research can go into finding a cure for Parkinson’s, so that no one else has to experience what he experienced.

Please help to raise awareness of Parkinson’s by sponsoring my challenge. All money raised will help fund breakthroughs and help support the Parkinson's community.