My name is David Morris and I am karate Instructor of 40 years teaching in schools, community and leisure centres in the Southampton area. I have Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that develops over many years, leading to impairments of movement and deficits in mental functioning.The most widely seen malady of the nervous system is caused by the degeneration of neurons that produce dopamine in the midbrain.These cells regulate movement, and their death leads to the tremors, muscle rigidity and slowness of movement that are the main characteristics of the disease

I was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2010. I knew there was something wrong two years before, so when I was told I had the disease, I thought I would have been prepared to hear the bad news. I wasnt. I went home , went to my bedroom and cried so much it hurt. But my tears weren't for me. They were for my four daughters who I knew would be terribly upset for me. Seven years on I sometimes weep for them when Im alone.

At 62, my illness is progressing. I struggle badly from day to day routines others find easy. I’m loosing the use of my right arm so struggle doing up buttons, belts and putting on clothes. It takes me six times as long to do something others would find simple. I sometimes walk with a shuffle and now loose my balance, The falls will be coming soon. And with added complications, over the years, I have accepted the pain now. I cant write and feel embarassed to ask people for help to write or text.

Sometimes, when shopping, I will put back goods on the shelf because I find it difficult to take my wallet out to pay for them or tap in my pin number incorrectly and get blocked. I then get back to my car, drive somewhere quiet and weep. I can get by with four hours of sleep a night and I get to depression so bad because I know it will get worse.

It goes on

And I made the descion not to seek a partner for fear of them having to care for me and not fullfiliing their happiness and dreams.

I’m a karate teacher, have been for nearly 40 years. During those years I have taught maybe 10,000 students both young and old and now teach fourth generation of students. I live for teaching. It is my passion, it is my love.The best reward a teacher can receive from a student? Not money or adulation. A smile, just a smile. And I am the most fortunate teacher in the world because have had thousands of smiles!

I want to make a difference.

But I know deep down I will not be well enough to teach and that small difference will be taken away. So I have a chance.

A chance to maybe to hold back this incurable disease. Stem cell research in medicine is rapidly growing and while controversal, it is becoming more widely accepted as the breakthrough in finding a cure. The UK is cautious and will take a few more years for us to acknowlege stem cell treatment as a way forward.

Time is running out for me

Swiss Medica is a world renowned stem cell clinic located in St Gallen, Switzerland, where patient's general health condition and viability for the treatment is assessed. After diagnostics, complete individualized treatment plan is created by the medical team and the patient is directed to Belgrade, Serbia for the planned treatment procedure. Treatment and an ongoing plan is £20,000.00

I have in the past, with the support of family, friends and local businesses raised funds for Parkinson's UK. With their continued support we want to organise fundraising events to reach that target by February 2018 when treatment can begin.

I would like to raise funding for this treatnent so i can continue making just a small difference to someone for as long as I can.

David Morris