Thank you for taking the time to visit my fundraising page on iDonate.ie

My Grandfather Jim O'neil was diagnosed with parkinsons a few years ago. He is a very active man, so it has been especially hard to watch his health deteriorate so rapidly. As of recently he finds it hard to even go for a walk once a day as he is often severly tired. He is the reason I have decided to raise funds for Parkinsons Association Ireland.

A couple of months ago I decided I would complete the Cork Marathon, I began training and all was good until the event was cancelled due to Covid restrictions. Pretty much everything in my life had been cancelled at this point so I decided that I would committe and complete the marathon on my own. I have been training now since march and am hoping to complete the marathon in under 4 hours.

Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition. This means that it causes problems in the brain and gets worse over time. There is no cure for it at present, although medication can be takin to ease the symptoms. It is most common in people over the age of 60 but can also effect people of all ages. The disease itself is not fatal, It's the complications which people die from. Parkinsons comes in stages, Stage five is the most advanced and debilitating stage. Stiffness in the legs may make it impossible to stand or walk. The person requires a wheelchair or is bedridden. Around-the-clock nursing care is required for all activities. The person may experience hallucinations, delusions and more. 

I chose Parkinsons Association Ireland due to the fact it is not funded by the government even though it offers its services to anyone suffering from Parkinsons in Ireland which is over 12,000 people. In my opinion it is a company in need of funding. The fact that it also invests its funds into researching the causes and effects of the disease also appealed to me.

Your money will help to fund research and also to provide support for people with Parkinson's.