“Walk With Me”: Lou’s Parkinson’s Awareness Hike Raises $2,280 for Research

For Lou, who has been living with young onset Parkinson’s for 13 years, taking on a challenge is second nature. But it’s not just about personal endurance — it’s about connection, conversation, and community.

This April, as part of Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Lou laced up her hiking boots once again to host ‘Walk With Me’, a one-day hike along the stunning Tomaree Coastal Trail in Port Stephens, NSW. The event raised an incredible $2,280 for Shake It Up Australia to support vital Parkinson’s research.

“I’m always up for a bit of a challenge,” Lou says.
“Last year I organised a trail walk for Parkinson’s awareness. I invited my family, friends and supporters and I called it Walk With Me. My aim was to help people understand Parkinson’s a little better. And by walking with me, gain some insight into my life with Parkinson’s. It was a great success.”

So, this year, Lou decided to do it all again — and this time, with a fundraiser attached.

“To walk. To talk. And this year I added the fundraiser for Shake It Up.”

The Walk With Me 2025 event took participants on a spectacular 18km journey — beginning with a sunrise hike up the Tomaree Headland, followed by six hours of scenic trails, rock platforms, and sandy beaches, ending at One Mile Beach.

“It’s an incredibly beautiful walk.”

For Lou, fundraising for Shake It Up felt like a natural fit.

“I have lived with Parkinson’s for 13 years. It’s complicated, unpredictable and really hard sometimes. But I live in hope.”

That hope, she says, lies in research.

“I hope that research will help find better treatments, bring better understanding — and find a cure. Research is our hope.”

At Shake It Up, we’re honoured to be the recipient of Lou’s support and inspired by the way she continues to turn her own journey with Parkinson’s into a force for awareness and change.

Thank you, Lou, for walking, talking, and fundraising with purpose.

To support our fundraisers and build a future for Lou and her family that is free from Parkinson’s, fund life-changing research today.