It took Guy Deacon 12 months, five vehicle breakdowns and one emergency evacuation to drive 18,000 miles, through 25 countries, from his home in the UK to South Africa.
Add to that the 3,650 prescription pills he needed to control the pain of Stage 3 Parkinson’s and it’s clear to anyone that Guy’s journey was an undeniably epic one.
To coincide with World Parkinson’s Day the former British Army officer has published his incredible story in ‘Running on Empty’.
With very little use of his hands, poor spatial awareness and often appearing drunk to those who didn’t understand the disease, Guy drove, lived and slept in his VW Transporter for 12 months.
The journey was one Guy had wanted to make since his university days, but after receiving a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease in 2010, it was also a journey during which he wanted to raise awareness and understanding of the disease.
“Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurodegenerative illness worldwide and has no known cause and no cure,” explained Guy, who was 60-years-old when he embarked on his epic journey.
“By 2040, more than 13 million people will be living with the disease, a quarter of them in Africa where the disease is little understood.”
On his journey Guy met with Parkinson’s sufferers in almost all the countries he travelled through and learnt what daily life was like for those sufferers that he met, but first he had to get there.
‘Running on Empty’ is Guy’s very personal account of just how he did get there and is available from today (April 11). Guy is an ambassador for The Cure Parkinson’s Trust and Parkinson’s Africa and proceeds from the sale of the book will go to support the charities.
To find out more visit https://www.guydeacon.co.uk/
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