My Dad is Gary Parkinson, a former professional football who made just shy of 500 league appearances for Middlesbrough, Southend United, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Preston North End and Blackpool.

Many of you would have watched him from the terraces, maybe as part of the Team of 86 at the Boro, scoring a Wembley winner for Burnley in 1994 or even blasting home a penalty for Preston again Man City at Maine Road. Others of you might just know him as Gary, the family man who you'd often see on the school run.

However you know my Dad, we'd really appreciate your support. In 2010, whilst enjoying life as the Head of Youth at Blackpool FC, he suffered a severe brain stem stroke and as a result, now suffers from locked-in syndrome. The condition is one of total paralysis apart from eye movements, and means he requires 24-hr care and the use of a wheelchair at our home in the North West.

Life is far from easy for my Dad and with a global pandemic and cost of living crisis to contend with in the last few years, the NHS can't always provide the support and rehabilitation that my Dad really needs.

We aren't a family to just sit there and expect that people will do things for us and nor do we want sympathy. Actions always speak louder than words, which is why we enjoy putting on fundraising events to help with the cost of my Dad's care, so that we can raise vital funds and in turn, people can come and enjoy theirselves.

That is the aim with upcoming Gary Parkinson Trophy, which will take place at CMB Football Club in Bolton on Saturday 1st July. So if you'd like to sponsor the event or even just donate towards the Gary Parkinson Trust, I can guarantee you that every single penny will be spent directly on trying to make my Dad better.

Locked-in syndrome means that you're basically locked inside your own body, but like any lock, it's only a case of finding the key. Almost 13 years on, I'm 100% confident that the key hasn't been thrown away yet.