Paddle for Parkinson’s: a 45 lap swim for a cure

Thursday, 9th April 2026

Five years ago, Shake It Up supporter Lyle had a simple idea: to swim 40 laps of Camp Cove for his 40th birthday. What started as a personal challenge soon became something more meaningful, as Lyle made the decision to support Shake It Up Australia in honour of his uncle Brian, who lives with Parkinson’s disease.

Each year, Lyle and his family and friends add another lap to the challenge, bringing them now to this year’s 45 laps for 45 years. The crew have to date raised almost $30,000 for Parkinson’s research, and in doing so, have created something really special: an opportunity to gather their community, honour the resilience of those living with Parkinson’s, and make a significant contribution in the quest for a cure.

Daniel, Brian’s son, says, “My dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s ten years ago. I’ve watched him navigate the progression of this disease with courage, strength and not a single complaint – more than I could ever manage. Research matters. Funding matters.”

We spoke with Lyle, Kevin and Daniel, about their fundraising journey over the years and what drives them to make a difference.

Tell us about how you first started this swimming challenge?

Lyle: For my 40th birthday we were in the middle of COVID lockdowns, and we were spending a lot of time at the beaches when we were able to. So I thought, why not do 40 laps for 40 years, which was around 9km. Word of mouth has now grown, so last year there were about 30 swimmers who came to join in

Kevin: Somehow we are going to have to figure out how to keep it going if it’s tied to Lyle’s birthday. Each year we get older and there’s another lap to do! But that’s a next five year problem…

Lyle: We just keep going. We keep taking our time. We keep getting more people to join. It keeps getting more traction. Getting the word out there is the main thing.

What does the swim mean to you?

Kevin: We’ve always swum with Brian. I remember in 2018, two years after he was diagnosed, he decided wanted to Bondi to Watson’s Bay. And we all jumped in and did it as a team event. It was just incredibly inspiring to see Brian and some of his mates join us to do it together.

Daniel: We have so many amazing memories swimming together. We’ve done a swim in Fiji, we’ve done the Bondi to Watson’s Bay, multiple swims in Bondi, and I’ve pushed myself to places I didn’t think I could.

Lyle: Daniel, Brian and I used to spend a lot of time swimming in the morning before work. So it’s always been something that connected us.

What have been some of the highlights of the event over the last 5 years?

Daniel: For me, it’s all the non-swimmers that choose to join in and support us. Mates of mine who haven’t swum since the swimming carnival at school 20 years ago will come and jump in and do a few laps. It’s not only important to me, but for my Dad who is there and gets to see all these people coming to support him. The community side of it is really awesome to see.

Kevin: Last year was really great because we somehow got to a place where everyone left for each lap together. So it wasn’t people doing individual swims. We would finish a lap, then wait, and then everyone started swimming again together. That was very memorable. It is also really cool because it means that anyone who wants to come and swim a lap can join in. It’s not about pace, it’s just about getting the laps done.

It’s also about the consistency. There’s a lot happening in the world at the moment, but this is an important cause. Parkinson’s is real. And we just show up and do the thing each year that we can do. It’s a consistent chance for us to give back and recognise something really important. It also gives us a space to switch off from all of the noise in the world – we’re lucky that we have this opportunity to meditate through the swim.

Lyle: For me, I get out of the swim every single year and give my uncle the biggest hug. He’s the reason for this.

What inspires you to make a difference, and what advice do you have for others wanting to do the same?

Kevin: Don’t overthink it. Just do it! That’s what Lyle has taught me. It just needs to start somewhere, and then it has the chance to grow.

Daniel: Just get it done. Don’t think about it, just get in the water and do what you can do. And often you can do a lot more than you think you can.

Lyle: If anyone has taught us that lesson, it’s Brian, Daniel’s Dad. He’s had some very challenging days, but he gets up every day and gets on with it. He’s a testament to resilience. None of us would wish Parkinson’s disease on anyone, and he doesn’t deserve it – but he still deals with it the best that he can every single day, for his family, for his children.

This may be a drop in the ocean but we’re just trying to make the world a better place. If this pushes other people out of their comfort zone, and helps raise awareness, well, we have a bit of fun doing it at the same time. We always try and lead by example, and by heart.

You can join the 45 Laps for 45 Years event on April 12 from 7:30am or support Lyle, Kevin and Daniel here.

Every dollar counts in the quest for a cure, and 100% of donations raised will go directly to cutting-edge researchers here in Australia.