Ellesmere woman and her dog set to walk Hadrian’s Wall to raise money for Parkinson’s UK
An Ellesmere woman is taking on the challenge of walking Hadrian’s Wall with her dog to raise vital funds for charity Parkinson’s UK.
Emma Tumelty is walking from Bownes-on-Solway to Newcastle on Monday 7 June, after being inspired by her mum who was diagnosed in October 2019 with Parkinson’s.
Emma will be accompanied by her Bedlington terrier dog called Squiffy and her friend Jo Lake who will be walking with her sprocker spaniel, called Flea.
Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world, and currently there is no cure. It affects around 145,000 people in the UK, including 12,329 people in the West Midlands. There are over 40 symptoms, from tremor and pain to anxiety.
Emma said: “My mum has gone from being a vibrant busy lady to a frail old person who is no longer able to walk. Her Parkinson’s causes her to ‘shuffle’ when walking, and as a result she had a fall. Unfortunately, she hit her head and ended up having brain surgery. Having spent three months in bed recovering, she has now lost any muscle tone she had and is confined to a wheelchair.
“Our experience of Parkinson’s is that it has taken away mum’s independence. Sadly, she is now unable to take care of herself at her old home and is in a care home.
“Mum used to speak regularly to a Parkinson’s nurse but owing to a lack of funds, she now has no one to speak to. This has been a real issue for her and the family as we are unable to speak to anyone about how her Parkinson’s is progressing. Any money we can raise to try and help find better treatments for this horrible condition can only be a good thing. Even if we only raise £100, it is another £100 towards this cause.”
Parkinson’s UK is the largest charitable funder of Parkinson’s research in Europe, leading the way in driving better care, treatments and quality of life for those with the condition.
Ann Rowe, Head of Regional Fundraising at Parkinson’s UK, said:
“We are so grateful to Emma, and Squiffy of course, for taking on this challenge for Parkinson’s UK.
“With more than 40 potential symptoms, Parkinson’s can devastate lives. We’ve made huge breakthroughs in the last 50 years, but there is still no cure and current treatments are not good enough. Fundraisers like Emma help us to drive forward the groundbreaking research we need to transform the lives of people affected by the condition.”
If you would like to sponsor Emma and Squiffy, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Emm-Tumelty
