So while I was out on my first run in a long time (after signing up to do the 10km for no better reason other than I need something to aim for) I got thinking.....dangerous I know. I decided that as I was going to be putting myself through a few months of training and then run around with a bunch of other people I may as well try and raise some cash for a good cause.

For those of you that know my Dad and knew my Uncle Ken you will know that they both suffer/ed (My uncle sadly passed away last year) from Parkinson's Disease.  Its a crippling disease that does not kill you quickly but slowly takes away your faculties.

My Dad is fortunate in that his disease is slow in progression and he responds well to the array of medication that he has to take daily to keep his symptoms under control. He has stayed very active and he and my Mum have a great attitude to life which I believe helps immensely. Dad was 47 when he was diagnosed and I was 12, I remember being told Dad had Parkinson's and I thought OK its not cancer, he's not going to die. My Dad retired when he was 58, he worked for 11 years with this disease and in that time he took 2 days off sick (both when the doctors changed his medication and it made his symptons worse). He is an inspiration to me and shows that even with a diagnosis you can continue to live a happy and full life. Many are not as lucky as my Dad.

I have never done anything like this before (and may never again depending on how it goes!) So please give generously to support a a great charity that doesnt get enough publicity.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.