Guy is a retired British Army Officer who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2010, a couple of year’s before me.

We don’t know each other but Guy has helped me in ways he wouldn’t have imagined.

It was this video. Guy describes better than anyone I know, how it really feels.

This brought me to tears in places. I could feel for him. I know too that everyday is going to get a bit worse. It’s a life sentence. However he had a burning ambition to trek from the UK to South Africa, and despite ever increasing difficulties for him personally and with Covid, he did it. He is an inspiration to me.

Running on Empty

Nearly ten year’s into Parkinson’s Guy set off on a solo route from England to South Africa, overland on the western side of Africa. It was a journey of personal challenge and self-discovery. Importantly, he used the journey as a platform to improve understanding of Parkinson’s disease.

“This perilous journey would be a huge undertaking for anyone, but for someone living with Parkinson’s it is a remarkable challenge.”

This quote is from a mutual friend of ours, Professor Roger Barker, Head of Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge.

His three year challenge became a five year odyssey with a Covid delay of two years when he reached Sierra Leone. This extraordinary African adventure and Guy’s relentless efforts to raise awareness of Parkinson’s in Africa have been turned into a book, Running on Empty, and a forthcoming documentary.

Buy the Book

I have his book on audio and have listened to it twice. All profits go towards charitable support of Parkinson’s sufferers, particularly those in Africa where there is far less help than in the UK. His journey, his book and the new documentary show this very plainly. You can get a free preview or buy the book by clicking below.

Guy’s Website

Guy’s website is fantastic, and I have used text, images and video from it in this post. Do please go and have a look, you can get a summary of his journey country by country as well as more of his work supporting Parkinson’s sufferers. Click on the image below.

Calling Card

Guy even inspired my new calling card. See what you think. It has made a real difference to how people respond to me.

Update

I had wanted to share Guy’s book signing schedule but I hear that he has had a medical set back, it is on his website, and so the book tour has been postponed until he is better.

I wish him a very swift recovery and would be honoured to meet him either in the UK or Kenya. Somewhere I believe he knows well from his Army days.