Friday 11th April is World Parkinson’s Day
Parkinson’s Disease is the fastest-growing neurodegenerative disease in the world. It has no known cause and no cure.
By 2040, more than 13 million people will be living with Parkinson’s – a quarter of them in Africa.
I have said before that I wouldn’t wish this disease on my worst enemy, but I am aware that I have it better than some.
I have people around who understand what Parkinson’s is; even if no-one who lives without it can truly understand what it is like to live with it. But they know that the Dicky they’ve always known is still there, just fighting a b*****d disease.
Sadly that is not a universal attitude in Africa. Parkinson’s sufferers are often ostracised; some people who don’t understand the disease think it is witchcraft and that sufferers are cursed.
This was Guy Deacon’s experience when he met people with Parkinson’s on his extraordinary odyssey through Africa. It is highlighted in his book and now film, Running on Empty. Thankfully the people at Parkinson’s Africa helped him navigate his challenges, allow his remarkable courage to help people and be helped by people, all in the African Parkinson’s community.
COUNT DOWN 1
Guy’s epic journey is being shown in the UK on Channel 4 on Thursday 10th April at 11pm. TUNE IN please. Share with your friends, family and colleagues. Here is an FQ article as a teaser…
COUNT DOWN 2
Friday 11th April is World Parkinson’s Day. In the UK there are various events to raise awareness and push for a cure. Including a BIG SING in Westminster for Parkinson’s sufferers and supporters. See details below
Thanks to everyone who supports me, who supports other Parkinson’s sufferers and who campaigns for new treatments and ways to help live with this disease.
Next time, I’ll count down to our film premiere in Africa. We will be raising money to fund work here in Kenya to break down the stigma around Parkinson’s and to educate health professionals about better care for sufferers. I’m delighted that Hemingways and the Deacon Foundation are working together on such important work.
If you would like to support the Deacon Foundation as a gift for World Parkinson’s Day their link is here
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