So I'm hitting 32 at the closing of April - I've been thinking for months now how I can, in a small way, begin to make a difference in people's lives rather than just plodding along looking after myself. I am lucky enough to have a high quality of life, with much entitlement and some incredible privileges. 

A number of years ago my Father was diagnosed with Parkinsons, after a few months of losing his balance around the house. This became a very real situation very quickly. He is a very skilled artist - has been all of his adult life... it is his passion and true calling. He is by all accounts in my opinion a genius. Through his incredible perseverance (patience, and even learning to draw with his feet even!), and the support of my tireless Mother, he is still an active member of a rich artistic community, still teaching classes, still no loss of skill (albeit his shakes come in waves) thanks to a new line of drugs that he is on - but all of this, like everything, is temporary. 

At some point, we all know, this will become far worse - Far more effecting, and take away many things that we as people not only take for granted, but almost in some cases - it takes away something like a talent or a skill or a form of irreplaceable expression that we stand to define ourselves by. 

So, in respect to my own family, our potential future; the love for my father, and the incredible work that is done (developments have come on so far in the last two decades) on a day to day basis to greater understand Parkinsons and how to treat it - I'm going to go sober for an entire year. 

For those that know me well - all of my adult life has revolved socially around drinking alcohol. I cant imagine a life without it- but i wanted to pick something truly difficult (im not gonna climb everest sorry) for me. Again, those who know me well know that this is a big deal.

I hope you can spare a thought, or some money into the work and research that is done. And that, eventually, Parkinsons can be something that is altogether manageable, or even curable on a global and none-exclusive scale.