Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition. This means that it causes problems in the brain and gets worse over time. The number of people diagnosed with Parkinson's in the UK is about 145,000. That's around 1 adult in every 350. Symptoms include tremors, reduced movement, loss of balance and rigid muscles, speech changes and mental health issues.

In 2006, my Grandad was diagnosed with Parkinson's and in 2012 it got the better of him. The 6 years in between became increasingly upsetting, as I saw my lovely, funny Grandad slowly deteriorate. The person who taught me to swim and started my ongoing interest in music began to fade away. From playing drums in a band regularly, he developed an aversion to noise and couldn't cope with his grandchildren running around anymore. There were some good days, as he put it, 'the fog would lift'. But over time, he became unable to recognise his wife Joan (my Nana), family and friends. This was a heartbreaking experience for us all. 

We are starting to see some real breakthroughs in the management of Parkinson's, which will allow people with this disease to have a better quality of life. I am now 19, and I'm passionate about raising awareness for Parkinson's, especially with people my age. This is why I am doing the 'Great North Run' half marathon on the 8th September 2019 for Parkinson's UK. Please support me and Parkinson's UK to continue with this vital research, children need their grandparents. 

Many thanks,

Juliet x

 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. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.