Did you know that you can support Shake It Up by taking part in an athletic event? Comedian, runner and digital producer Shivé Prema did just that when he ran the Hoka Runaway Sydney Half Marathon to raise money to fund essential Parkinson’s research.

We spoke to Shivé to find out all about his experience, and how he is making an impact for people living with Parkinson’s.

Hi Shive, tell us all about the half-marathon! What was the experience like?

The Runaway Sydney Half Marathon was my first half marathon and was an amazing experience from training in the months before to the race day itself. This time last year, I could barely run two kilometres without needing to stop and catch my breath and genuinely hated running or any form of cardio. By signing up for the half marathon and raising money, I was able to keep myself accountable and commit to consistency in my training. It was satisfying for the hard work to pay off on race day, where I was able to achieve a sub-two hour half marathon with a time of 1:59:30 – not bad for a first timer. Running in such a large group and the electric atmosphere creates such a positive experience, I would definitely recommend it for anyone who hasn’t done a half marathon before.

What drives your commitment to fundraise for Parkinson’s?

My grandmother in Leicester, England has Parkinson’s disease (PD). I visited her for the first time after COVID last year and it was heartbreaking to see first hand how her condition had worsened. Doing further research into PD and seeing how it effects so many people and their families deepened my passion for the cause. Everytime I didn’t feel like training for the marathon, I would think of why I’m doing it and it would get me out of the house.

Why did you choose to raise funds for Shake It Up Australia?

I chose to raise money for Shake it Up because I think research into Parkinson’s will benefit not just Australians, but people around the world, like my grandmother.

Are there any other fundraising events on the horizon for you?

I may be doubling down and doing the full Sydney marathon in September, but haven’t decided yet. Watch this space!

What words of advice do you have for others hoping to make a difference for Parkinson’s?

For those looking to fundraise, my advice would be to FUN-raise in the form of entertaining updates and content. It is a big ask for people to donate money during a cost of living crisis, so make sure to provide some value in return. As a comedian, I have no problem with making a fool of myself on social media! So along my running journey, I would post photos and videos of myself training to my social channels, often accompanied by a link to my fundraising page. I am by no means a professional runner and the content was far from polished but it brought people along for the journey and created more of an organic way of fundraising rather than just asking people to donate.

If you’d like to get involved in an athletic event to support Shake It Up and find a Parkinson’s cure, have a look at the events in your state.