My story

Now I've learned how to live with Parkinson’s

The only way is up ... Gavin Hastings, left, is joining climb with our Jen, right, to help wife Diane, centre
The only way is up ... Gavin Hastings is joining the climb with our Jen right, to help wife Diane

The mum of two was diagnosed with Parkinson's aged just 39. She tells YVONNE BOLOURI how her life has changed since her diagnosis.

 

To an onlooker, Diane Hastings has a charmed life.

But eight years ago Diane was diagnosed with the degenerative brain disorder Parkinson's disease.

She was only 39 years old and the news came as a devastating blow to the family.

Disbelief, anger, tears and depression rocked her to the core.

But resilient Diane did what she knows best — she got on with life.

Now 47, she controls her symptoms with medication and is firmly in control.

Diane was referred for tests and scans at Edinburgh's Western General Hospital. Parkinson's was diagnosed straight away.

She said: "I was gobsmacked. I thought Parkinson's only happened to old people. I was 39.

"At the time Gavin was in Australia at the 2003 Rugby World Cup. I had to phone him with the news. It was not a good time.

But she said: "I didn't know much about Parkinson's so I looked on websites and to be honest, they go into too much detail and aren't very positive.

"So I stopped that. Of course I cried and I had my black moments.

"It took a few weeks to sink in but by the time Gavin was due home, I had my head round it.

" I realised this was the card I'd been dealt, and there was nothing I could do about it."

"Medication made me feel completely well. The stiffness improved, my energy levels went up and I realised that living with Parkinson's isn't a death sentence."

"When you have something like Parkinson's private healthcare won't cover you but my NHS treatment has been superb.

"My doctor and consultant are just an email away if I need help, and the neurologist is the same one I had when I was in private healthcare."

"I look after myself, watch what I eat and we've now got two dogs so I exercise them for an hour every morning. I'd never have done that before, but now, when I miss a morning, I really miss the benefits.

She said: "I'm extremely proud of Gavin and the kids. Gavin is going to be 50 in January so we're planning something special.

"He's climbing Kilimanjaro to raise funds for the Funding Neuro charity. We met the founder Bryn Williams, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's when he was 36, through a mutual friend, so Gavin does a lot of fundraising for Wobbly Williams.

"When Gavin's away, we usually Skype but I don't think he'll be able to do that on the top of a mountain!"

Diane understands the devastation of a Parkinson's diagnosis but insists there is hope.

She advised: "Accept it, take the medication and enjoy your life.

"Of course, I'd rather not have it, but things could be a whole lot worse."

My gallery 9

My Teams

My company

My charity

Funding Neuro

Funding Neuro

Charity Registration No. SC042061

Funding Neuro funds research that will lead to treaments and cures for neurological conditions. We do this by bringing researchers in all fields and patients of all disorders together to share ideas and to deliver results.

Donations 342

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Great effort to help Parkinson's research - thanks.

Donation by GEORGE DAVIDSON on 29/01/12

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

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Good to see a 50 year old can Still climb as high a mountain!

Donation by Graham Dagg on 28/01/12

Donation by Anne Bennett on 28/01/12

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

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Wendy Gullan's neighbour just wanted to say well done to you. Know your Dad through the church.

Donation by CHRISTINE BLACK on 28/01/12

£10.00

+ £2.50 Gift Aid

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Good effort fella, Ben An next,eh. Love next years christmas card!

Donation by Nick and Holly.x. on 28/01/12

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

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All those Craiglockhart fitness sessions paying dividends at last. Superb effort. Presume you were slow and steady - just like at Myreside...

Donation by Fergus and Sheila Henderson on 27/01/12

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

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Well done Big Gav. Everest next time!

Donation by Iain, Evelyn Lewis and Josh on 27/01/12

£100.00

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Well done big chap - I hear Miss Scotland beat you to the top!! Graham & Lesley

Donation by Graham Waddell on 27/01/12

£20.00

+ £5.00 Gift Aid

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Well done Gavin. You already in training to tackle another challenge soon?!

Donation by CAROLINE READINGS on 27/01/12

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Well done,great effort, Kennyand Elie

Donation by Ellie Milne on 27/01/12

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

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Gav, Glad to see you had your arse waxed for the photos. Is that the hair that poped up on your face later? Well done. Fiona Sophie Jamie and SImon

Donation by Fiona Ireland on 26/01/12

£250.00

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Sincerest best wishes to you all!!! Take this ball and run with it!!! Sincerest thanks.

Donation by John Thomson on 26/01/12

£50.00

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Great challenge and worthy effort ! Well Done

Donation by D. Jeffrey Stephen on 25/01/12

£50.00

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Donation by John & Sheila Young on 25/01/12

£25.00

+ £6.25 Gift Aid

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Congratulations - great achievement! Its on my to-do list x

Donation by Lisa Gunn on 25/01/12

£50.00

Donation by Edward Mackay on 25/01/12

£100.00

+ £25.00 Gift Aid

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Sensational result Gav,hopefully its improved your golf swing for Wales #reductioninmuffin.com, very well done, atb Rog

Donation by roger baird on 25/01/12

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

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Gavin/Bryn Congrats on 68% reaching Uhuru Peak, better than our 66%. See you on the next Parki fund raiser.

Donation by Shaun Edwards on 24/01/12

£500.00

+ £125.00 Gift Aid

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Awesome that you achieved your goal. Very proud of you. Love to all. Lisa x

Donation by Lisa Nyman on 24/01/12

£50.00

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Awesome stuff Big Gav. Hope you had a cracking time and enjoyed the challenge. Next feat of endurance...Hong Kong 7s! x

Donation by Sal and Andy on 24/01/12

£50.00

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Well done big fella! A great cause and fantastic effort on so many fronts!

Donation by David Sole on 23/01/12

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

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Gavin - brilliant to read of the climb. Congratulations to you all, and very best wishes to Diane. Evan

Donation by Evan Grant on 23/01/12

Superman.png

Well done Gav..great effort..great cause

Donation by Gavin Tully-Jackson on 23/01/12

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

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Wooden Spoon 4 peaks challenge must be next! Well done - a great effort

Donation by Bruce Cartwright on 23/01/12

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

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Well done, Gavin - a great effort for a great cause.

Donation by Ronnie Sloan on 23/01/12

£50.00

+ £12.50 Gift Aid

Donation summary

  • * Online donations$53,361.92
  • Offline donations$13,894.60
  • Text donations$0.00
  • Total raised$67,256.51
  • Gift Aid$9,141.02

* Charities pay a small fee for our service. Find out how much it is and what we do for it.