Our hero this week is Lucy, who was planning to run the Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon recently. When the event was cancelled due to the Sydney Covid-19 lock down, Lucy didn’t hesitate and instead ran her own half marathon in the local area.
Lucy ran the half marathon in her target time of 2 hours and raised $1,055 for Parkinson’s research along the way. Congratulations to Lucy! We caught up with Lucy via email to hear more about her motivation.
What drives your commitment to a cure for Parkinson’s?
When my mum was diagnosed with Parkinson’s almost 4 years ago, she was newly retired, active in the community and physically active playing tennis, riding her bike, walking, and gardening. I was quite surprised by the diagnosis, but very quickly I realised two of my close friends had parent’s also with Parkinson’s. It is surprisingly common but not something you hear people talk about often.
It has been heart breaking watching my ‘energiser bunny’ of a mum become fatigued after simple activities, and watch her world slowly become limited by the condition. This is what has motivated me to fundraise for Shake It Up Australia. We must find a cure and improve the lives of people suffering Parkinson’s.
What did you do to fundraise?
So, I set myself a goal to run the Sydney Half Marathon and fundraise to help support Shake It Up. Unfortunately, after training since January and having the event postponed once, it was then cancelled 2 days out due to the Covid19 outbreak in Sydney. At this point I had nearly raised $1000 from friends, family, and colleagues. So, I did what I had to do – mapped out a route in my local area and ran my own half marathon event! It was hard doing it without the crowds and the iconic Sydney scenery, but I watched the sun rise over the water in the inner west and the Cook’s River. And met my support crew (my husband, daughter and best friend) as I crossed the imaginary finish line!
What advice do you have for others about how to get involved and make a difference?
If you have the motivation, you can do anything you want to gather sponsorship and support from those around you. I know I’m already thinking about what I can do next to support such a great cause, and hope in my efforts I can have a tiny part in finding a cure for Parkinson’s.
Challenge yourself for Parkinson’s and make a difference. 100% of all funds raised will go directly to Australian Parkinson’s research to speed up a cure.
Find out more today or contact our Fundraising and Events Manager, Isobel to get started.
