Battersea walkers for Parkinson’s raised £60k

Parkinson’s UK – the charity which raises funds for research into the disease – has confirmed that the 340 walkers who took part in their local Walk for Parkinson’s event at Battersea Park raised more than £60,000.

Those taking part in September’s event had the choice of either a 1.5-mile route or a six-mile walk, starting from the park’s well-known bandstand area and winding through the stunning greenery and around the lakes the park has to offer.

The money raised will help fund vital research to find better treatments and a cure for the condition.

Parkinson’s is what happens when the brain cells that make dopamine start to die. There are more than 40 symptoms, from tremor and pain to anxiety. Some are treatable, but the drugs can have serious side effects. It gets worse over time and there’s no cure. Yet.

Mohammed Kalam, community fundraiser for London at Parkinson’s UK, said: “I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took part in Walk for Parkinson’s at Battersea Park, as well as all the volunteers who made the event possible.

“Parkinson’s UK estimates that around 153,000 people in the UK are living with Parkinson’s, including approximately over 13,000 people in London.

“The amazing efforts of everyone who took part in Walk for Parkinson’s has helped us drive forward the groundbreaking research we urgently need to transform the lives of people affected by the condition.”

Pictured top: Images from the fund-raiser (Picture: Parkinson’s UK)