We’re proud to bring you the story of Rossis Member, Christine Thorne, from Mundesley who, aged 63, will be taking on the challenge of this year’s London Marathon on 26th April, raising funds for Parkinson’s UK and for her local Parkinson’s Support Group in North Norfolk.
Christine led a happy life with husband Dave for more than 40 years, mother of 2 amazing daughters and 4 even more amazing grandchildren. Dave had always been her rock, someone to depend on, always there when there was a problem, when something needing sorting … until the day the bottom fell out of their world when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and life changed. Dave attends the local North Walsham Parkinson’s Support Group. They have around 40-50 members but some find it challenging to get to monthly meetings or regular exercise groups due to the usual wide range of symptoms and needs of those with Parkinson’s Disease. Christine hopes to help the local Group provide transport where needed as well as offer complimentary places to those who otherwise could not afford to attend as well as raising funds for Parkinson’s UK to help with their ground-breaking research.
There are estimated to be around 145,000 people in the UK with Parkinson’s. It is a progressive neurological disorder with a wide range of symptoms. Sometimes they develop slowly but for others the disease can develop incredibly quickly and hit them “like a steam train”. Symptoms include the classic “tremor”, muscle cramps, reduced mobility, depression and sleeplessness to name just a few. The cause is unknown and there is no cure. Parkinson’s sufferers are also more than 3 times more likely to develop Alzheimers in old age.
If you’d like to help support and sponsor Christine, you can donate via her fundraising page here -
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/christine-thorne
