Our heroes this week, the long-walk legends Will and Corrie Boag, are setting off again this year as part of their ongoing project ‘Will to Walk’. This is their 8th yearly walk where they’ll be climbing the mountains of the Adelaide Hills and Flinders Ranges for the whole month of June 2021.
Will says, “This walk is about showcasing that life doesn’t end with Parkinson’s, in my case, it has given me a kick-start to live a rich life and work towards the best possible outcome.”
Where will you be travelling and walking this year?
We will be travelling to, and walking in, the Flinders Ranges, probably day walks of around 15-20 kms daily depending on the hills and mountains. We may then head north to the MacDonnell Ranges and do similar walks there.
Of all the walks you’ve been on, which has been your favourite?
My favourite walk was in Switzerland from east to west and then south over the Alps into Italy. It is difficult to answer however because they all have their different flavours and we like a variety of tastes.
What about the most challenging walk?
The most challenging walk was also the Swiss one because of my other health issues. I love climbing mountains but other issues make these walks more threatening to my health. Amongst those issues are low blood pressure, atrial fibrillation (I carry emergency medication for this), and the possibility of blood clotting (I also take daily meds for this). So fainting after walking a long steep distance once, and nearly fainting a second time on a treacherous short climb was scary. The PD issue was one of balance on some near perpendicular climbs that had me leaning abnormally forward.
What has been the greatest reward from your years of walking and fundraising?
My greatest reward from these walks have been multiple. Firstly, I love walking and I believe that having a passion helps in obtaining the rewards that the loss of dopamine is trying to negate. I love that my wife Corrie has been able to join me, discovering the athlete in her; sharing my PD experiences with other walkers, making friends with some; finding out that I could achieve these experiences with little trouble, after many years with PD; and that I have been able to raise a little money to find a cure. I am also finally making more sense of why I have PD.
You can follow Will and Corrie’s journey, read poetry and stories from previous walks on his blog at willtowalk.com.au and donate to their fundraising page here.
Want to join a walk for Parkinson’s?
Our next challenge is Tuscany 2023 where you will journey into the historical heart of Italy as you trek to fund cutting-edge Australian research to slow, stop and cure Parkinson’s disease. Sound like the adventure for you? Find out more today.
