Kim's update: Time to Run - 50 miles in 50 days - for Parkinson's UK

 

Saturday 26th March 2022: Day 26 - 39 miles done! 

Yay! I've reached day 26 out of the 50 day event (till 19 April) and I've completed 39 miles. 

I achieved my first run over 4 miles this week but did ache a bit that night. My ankle is much better, still a bit bruised but I'm able to run much better. The weather has been great this week and the moon and stars beautiful.

Thank you so much everyone for your continued support x 

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Thank you for visiting my fundraising page! I’m taking part in Time to Run from 1 March for Parkinson’s UK. I’ll be running 50 miles in 50 days to celebrate my Parkinson’s hero Brian and to raise vital funds. 

My close friend Brian was diagnosed 12 years ago in his early 50s and despite being in frequent pain he never grumbles or complains. Brian and his wife Tracy have been dear friends for over 25 years and have been there for me and my family through many trials and tribulations.  I am running to show them my support and to help raise vital funds for research. 

Together we can celebrate all the incredible people out there who are helping to transform Parkinson’s which also includes our volunteers who do a fantastic job supporting people and running local groups and activities.  

Please help by sponsoring me whatever you can. All the money raised will directly fund the Parkinson's UK Virtual Biotech, the drug discovery and development arm of Parkinson's UK. This will help us fast track the most promising scientific discoveries and treatments for Parkinson's.

Thank you very much. I am so grateful for all your support and will try my best!

www.parkinsons.org.uk

Final revised date & location for my Plummet for Parkinson's - now 26th June 2021! Sponsor link now fixed!

 

As we all know - COVID19 has messed up life generally. One way that it has directly affected me is the date & location for my Plummet for Parkinson's! 

The new date & location has now been confirmed: 

2pm - 26th June 2021
Spinnaker Tower
Gunwharf Quays
Portsmouth
PO1 3TT

I'm raising funds to support Parkinson's research. My darling wife Kim works for Parkinson's UK - helping to support people diagnosed with this neurological condition. Also one of our dear friends has Parkinson's. Please sponsor my Parkinson's Plummet - and raise funds to help develop new treatments, faster.

Together we'll find a cure.

www.justgiving.com

IBM's AI can predict how Parkinson's disease may progress in individuals

In the past, we’ve seen doctors use AI software to detect brain tumors, kidney illness and various cancers. Now, researchers from IBM and Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) say they’ve developed a program that can predict how the symptoms of a Parkinson’s disease patient will progress in terms of both timing and severity. In The Lancet Digital Health journal, they claim the software could transform how doctors help patients manage their symptoms by allowing them to better predict how the disease will progress.

“Our aim is to use AI to help with patient management and clinical trial design. These goals are important because, despite Parkinson’s prevalence, patients experience a unique variety of motor and non-motor symptoms,” IBM said.

The breakthrough wouldn’t have been possible without the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative, a study the Michael J. Fox Foundation sponsored. IBM describes the dataset, which includes information on more than 1,400 individuals, as the “largest and most robust volume of longitudinal Parkinson’s patient data to date” and says it allowed its AI model to map out complex symptom and progression patterns.

It’s estimated Parkinson’s disease affects more than 6 million people globally, and there’s currently no known cure for it. IBM Research and MJFF plan to continue work on the AI model. In the future, they hope to make it better at providing more granular characterizations of the various stages of the disease.

www.engadget.com

Kim is running to raise money for Parkinsons UK

Thank you for visiting my fundraising page! I’m taking part in Time to Run from 1 March for Parkinson’s UK. I’ll be running 50 miles in 50 days to celebrate my Parkinson’s hero Brian and to raise vital funds. 

My close friend Brian was diagnosed 12 years ago in his early 50s and despite being in frequent pain he never grumbles or complains. Brian and his wife Tracy have been dear friends for over 25 years and have been there for me and my family through many trials and tribulations.  I am running to show them my support and to help raise vital funds for research. 

Together we can celebrate all the incredible people out there who are helping to transform Parkinson’s which also includes our volunteers who do a fantastic job supporting people and running local groups and activities.  

Please help by sponsoring me whatever you can. All the money raised will directly fund the Parkinson's UK Virtual Biotech, the drug discovery and development arm of Parkinson's UK. This will help us fast track the most promising scientific discoveries and treatments for Parkinson's.

Thank you very much. I am so grateful for all your support and will try my best!

www.parkinsons.org.uk

Michael Robotham’s The Suspect - on ITV from August 2022

The Suspect (novel by Michael Robotham) tells the story of Doctor Joe O'Loughlin, a clinical psychologist who is living with early onset Parkinson's. The production team for the series approached Parkinson’s UK for information and support on portraying the condition in the 5-part thriller. 

Parkinson's UK put them in touch with Drew Hallam, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2018 aged 35. Drew kindly volunteered his time to guide the team including Aidan Turner, who's also starred in Poldark and The Hobbit, to portray the condition accurately. 

Anyone can get Parkinson’s, young or old. Aidan’s character in The Suspect will raise awareness of the condition, and fight the common misconception that it only affects older people.

www.parkinsons.org.uk

Don Tocher - Plummeting for Parkinson's! Abseiling from Guildford Cathedral's tower - 16th May 2020

Abseiling from Guildford Cathedral's tower!

Location: Guildford Cathedral, GU2 7UP

Date: Saturday 16 May 2020

I'm raising funds to support Parkinson's research. My darling wife Kim works for Parkinson's UK - helping to support people diagnosed with this neurological condition. Also one of my dear friends has Parkinson's. Please sponsor my Parkinson's Plummet - and raise funds to help develop new treatments, faster. Together we'll find a cure.

"Once you've climbed the 249 steps to get to the top of the Cathedral Tower, you get to experience the beautiful panoramic views of Guildford before making your epic descent. The views are spectacular, the challenge is terrifying, the cause rewarding. Are you up for it?"

www.justgiving.com

Gosport rideout: raising funds for Parkinson's UK

Jeff & I were pleased to attend a repeat of the below event on Sunday 29 May 2022. An excellent turnout, nice bacon baps & coffee, a really well organised ride & an excellent fundraising opportunity for a cause close to Kim & my hearts: Parkinson's UK. Photos HERE.

The News, Portsmouth (23rd July 2021): The team behind Broadway Bake and Sandwich Bar, Gosport is hosting a fun day with activities, food, and special guests.

Owner Sharon Sparrow and her partner Alan Freeman, a baker, are welcoming people to come and join the fun on Sunday while helping to raise funds for an important cause.

Alan said: ‘Two years ago we were planning to hold an event that we had to cancel due to Covid, so now we’re doing it again.’

The bikers will ride out as visitors enjoy food from the bakery and take part in fun activities.

Alan said: ‘I’ll be serving up bacon baps, sausage baps, and egg baps. It’s all free of charge - we just ask for a donation.

‘We’ve got loads of auction prizes to auction off with as well as about 50 raffle prizes.’

The event will raise funds for Parkinson’s disease, with all donations going to charity.

Alan added: ‘My partner’s father has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, as have a couple of our customers, and I just thought it would be good to give something back.’

Following the 'start-up a litle while before, at 11:00 the bikes will depart on their 'circular' route - the following timings are a 'best guess'!:

11:00 - Palmyra Road

11:03/4 - Haslar Bridge

11:06/7 - Stokes Roiad

11:10/12 - Lee-on-The Solent

11:13/15 - Hill Head

11:17/20 - Titchfield

11:21/24 - Stubbington

11:24/26 - Peel Common

11:30-ish - Back to Palmyra Road.

www.portsmouth.co.uk

Google helps develop AI-driven lab machine to diagnose Parkinson's

A robotic system armed with AI-powered cameras can grow and image skin cells from test tubes to diagnose Parkinson's disease with minimal human help, according to researchers from Google and the New York Stem Cell Foundation.

Parkinson's disease is estimated to affect 2 to 3 percent of the population over the age of 65. Nerve cells located deep within the basal ganglia region of the brain slowly die over time, impacting motion. Patients find it difficult to control their movements; their limbs may shake or feel stiff. Scientists aren't sure what causes the disease, and it is currently incurable.

"Traditional drug discovery isn't working very well, particularly for complex diseases like Parkinson's," NYSCF's CEO Susan Solomon explained in a statement. "The robotic technology NYSCF has built allows us to generate vast amounts of data from large populations of patients, and discover new signatures of disease as an entirely new basis for discovering drugs that actually work."

The non-profit research institute developed a robotic system capable of performing lab experiments in a controlled environment. Known as the Global Stem Cell Array, the robotic system is made up of a series of machines with robotic arms capable of manipulating test tube samples for cell culture.

www.theregister.com

Revised date for Don's Plummet for Parkinson's - now 22nd August 2020

We are sorry that Guildford Cathedral Abseil has been postponed until 22nd August 2020 - due to the current coronavirus (COVID-19) situation.

Everyone was looking forward to event day. We still are. We hope you are too!

We know not everyone will be able to make the new date. To help us understand who can still take part, please complete this quick survey. If you can’t make it, we will be in touch regarding your options.

Providing Government advice allows, we hope to see you on 22nd August. Thank you for your hard work and commitment - we appreciate all you do to support people with Parkinson’s.

Thank you for your patience during this uncertain time. 

Kind regards, Parkinson's UK

OK - looks like we might be back on for this event - God willing. I've been really looking forward to doing my plummet! Huge thanks to my sponsors - please bear with - we'll get there eventually!

Don Tocher - Plummeting for Parkinson's

Another revised date for my Plummet for Parkinson's - now 8th May 2021!

I’m so disappointed to advise but Guildford Cathedral have informed us that they are regrettably having to cancel the planned abseil on 22 August 2020. We really appreciate your patience, having already postponed the event from it’s original date of 16 May.

The abseil provider had been working hard to adjust arrangements for the day to ensure compliance with current government guidelines but cleaning requirements for shared use of equipment mean that we cannot go ahead. You matter. Your health and your support is important to us.

Lockdown has changed all of our lives. And for many people with Parkinson’s, symptoms have got worse over the last few months. Parkinson’s didn’t stop for coronavirus, and neither did we. We’re supporting people in the ways they need us to right now. And we’re rapidly adapting our pioneering research so that we can develop new treatments.

This is why your commitment is so important.

The date for our Guildford Cathedral abseil next year is 08 May 2021.
I have requested to be added to this date - so fingers crossed / third time lucky? Would you like to sponsor me to raise finds for Parkinson's research?

www.justgiving.com

Don's Plummet for Parkinson's - done at last! What an experience, & supporting a very worthy cause

What an absolutely incredible afternoon we all had in Portsmouth on Saturday. Lovely weather, warm with light winds, turning sunny as the day went on. Perfect for abseiling down the Spinnaker Tower!

I was pleased to have a support team (Tracy & Bri, Kim, Rosie, Harry, Jamie, Megan, Benji, & Katy - South Central Regional Fundraiser for Parkinson's UK) there to egg me on! 

This abseil event was superbly organised by Extreme Horizons, the equipment (harnesses, ropes, shackles, etc) we used were first rate & in superb condition. Training & guidance was excellent. Safety was paramount!

While we were at the bottom of the Spinnaker Tower, looking up it looked a long way (100 metres / 330 feet) to the top. The Spinnaker Tower is apparently the second highest abseil in the UK - the Shard is #1. However, when our group of 6 trainee abseilers arrived at the top - the ground looked very far away!!! People looked like dots! At that point - the enormity of what we were about to do finally sunk in!

Please do take ~15mins to watch the video. At this point in the event - I had to take a leap of faith (or step at least). It's an incredible thing to truly put your life in the hands of another... While descending from the top - I started with a few inches at a time. As the abseil progressed and I got more confident: I did bigger progressions. It's a "weird" thing to feel the bounce in the rope!

As it had just been painted, we had to wear silly plastic overshoes - to avoid getting shoe marks down the tower. By the time we reached terra-firma - the overshoes had been thoroughly shredded!

Massive thanks to Zurich Community Trust for allowing us to piggyback onto their fundraising event (I was originally booked to abseil Guildford Cathedral in May 2020 - but due to COVID - this got delayed several times, then cancelled!). Huge thanks also to Parkinson's UK - for this fantastic & fun opportunity, to support their very worthy cause.

Thank you to all of the very kind folks who have sponsored & encouraged me so far. If you would still like to donate - it's not too late! Here is the JustGiving link - which finally closes for donations on 7th July 2021. After that date, please use this link.

www.youtube.com

Parkinson's UK: Quiz & Curry Night - Tues 5th June 6pm, Harvest Home Denmead

Quiz & Curry Night in support of Parkinson's UK

Tuesday 5th June 2018 6-30 for 7pm.

At The Harvest Home, Denmead.

£10 per person. Partners, family, friends are welcome! Jackpot to win!

Click here to order tickets for this fun & fundraising event.

50% of the proceeds will go to Parkinson's UK.

www.parkinsons.org.uk

Words of strength & encouragement - perseverance & prayer

IN GOD’S HANDS. ‘My Dad has just been diagnosed with a rare form of Parkinson’s. It’s hereditary, so I don’t know what that means for my health. I’m going to get myself tested. It’s frightening. I was all over the shop when I found out.

‘Galatians 6:9 was given to me as a scripture to learn and study. It says, “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season, we will reap, if we do not give up.” It’s about perseverance.

‘I have been praying for the strength to face this. I’m grand, because I know that God will help me through it. A walk with Christ is not easy. Perseverance is important. I know my future is in God’s hands. Even if I tried to sort this out myself, I wouldn’t be able to. I know what I’m like. I’m just a disaster.

‘So, I’m going to God every morning and praying for strength to get through this and for my Da and Ma. My Dad is only 56.

‘Without the perseverance that this verse talks about, I wouldn’t be able to follow the path that God has laid before me.’

www.biblesociety.org.uk

Microsoft Future Decoded 2017 - ExCeL Centre, London

Microsoft Future Decoded offers an inspired vision of the digital business of tomorrow, with the tangible advice you need to drive your business forward today . Join the brightest decision makers, developers and IT pros to learn how digital transformation, artificial intelligence, cloud for good and digital skills can pave the way for business success. See what you can achieve at Microsoft Future Decoded.

Another ExCeL-ent (!) Future Decoded event. This is the third year that I have attended, and the first that I have been able to attend both days.

Some of my notes:

"The future of technology":

Synthetic Biology, Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing.

Stick em together, what have you got: this?

Business culture is key to digital transformation.

Business culture eats strategy for breakfast!

Change your culture & the rest can follow.

Don't adapt your business culture: prepare to fail!

Haiyan Zhang - Innovation Director @ Microsoft Research, Cambridge.

Emma can write again thanks to a prototype watch, raising hope for Parkinson’s .

Watch this video & keep a box of tissues handy!

A wonderful use of technology.

Get Office 365 for free!

It's not a trial! Students and teachers are eligible for Office 365 for Education, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and now Microsoft Teams, plus additional classroom tools.

Risual Corporate videos: 1, 2, 3. Enjoy!

Lets learn from Kodak.

1996 = 5th biggest company in the world.

2012 = Kodak filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection.

What went wrong? Digital Photography!

Innovate: or go with the dinosaurs...

UK Digital Skills Programme

Develop the digital skills you need to take one step forwards – whether in your career, your business or everyday life. With the Microsoft UK Digital Skills Programme there's a course for you whatever your level. From 7 to 70, digital novice or digital professional, we have the resources to help you grow your digital knowledge.

www.futuredecoded.com

Kim's Update: 51 miles and only on day 36!

Time to Run 50 miles in 50 days for Parkinson's UK

I've done a 3 mile run tonight and reached my 50 miles target so really pleased. Hooray!

I've had an injury free week and the weather has been generally good. 

Thank you so much for sponsoring me and all the lovely messages I've received. It's all going to a great cause! The event finishes in 2 weeks on 19 April so I'll keep running and adding a few more miles to my total. Thanks again!

www.parkinsons.org.uk

Keeping cool & safe during the hot weather

During a heatwave there are a few groups of people who are at higher risk of suffering from severe health effects. These include babies and very young children, older people, people with pre-existing medical conditions such as heart conditions, diabetes, respiratory or renal problem, Parkinson’s or severe mental illness.

Click here to read more & stay safe in the heat! 

www.hants.gov.uk