Parkinson’s 100 Challenge: the story so far…

Parkinson’s 100 Challenge – which encourages people to try something new while raising money to improve the lives of people with Parkinson’s – launched at the end of last year and has already passed the €12,000 mark in donations. Here, to mark World Parkinson’s Day, we take a look at some of the daring challenges fundraisers have completed

The Parkinson’s 100 Challenge was launched in September 2015 by the Parkinson’s Europe (Parkinson’s Europe) and is aiming to get 100 people to take part in challenges to raise €50,000 to help support the 1.2 million people across Europe living with Parkinson’s.

Francesco De Renzis, Social Media and Fundraising Officer of Parkinson’s Europe, said: “To date, we have raised about €12,475.”

“We started off quietly and on a small scale last year without much promotion so we could get the campaign off the ground. Now, on World Parkinson’s Disease Day, we hope to launch Parkinson’s 100 Challenge to the wider Parkinson’s community and encourage everyone to help us raise awareness.”

Getting involved couldn’t be easier. All you have to do is decide what kind of challenge you’d like go and sign up online. Once registered, you’ll have access to a toolkit with everything you need to get started.

Here’s a round-up of the fundraising activities so far.

Ice-cold plunge

Members of the Brussels-based consultancy firm Grayling travelled to Knokke, which is a beach north of Brussels on the Belgian coast, to do a simultaneous jump into the ice-cold water.

Eleanor, one of the jumpers, said: “Well, the water was very cold to say the least! But we had a brilliant time and were delighted to do it for such an excellent cause.”

Grayling, will undertake another challenge next week in Brussels – a charity touch rugby match in a park by their office.

Grayling Belgium team members jump into the ice-cold water at Knokke

Valiant first ever half marathon

Another challenger Thomas ran his first half marathon and upon successfully completing it said:

“It was my first half marathon ever and I was feeling a little bit stressed. Until the point that I stood in between a mass of nearly 4,000 runners, I hadn’t realised that I had received donations for this marvellous cause and that it was my turn now to show why everyone had supported the cause.”

Thomas and friends at the half-marathon

A silent 24 hours

Natalie and her daughter Megan’s stayed silent for 24 hours.

Natalie, said: “This is something that people with Parkinson’s are faced with every day of their lives and which is why it is so important that we continue to raise funds to improve the lives of people with Parkinson’s and their carers.”

Mother and daughter sponsored swim

Pat Wharton and her daughter swam two kilometres each. A tired Pat wrote:

“There was a bit of competition between us: I completed the swim in 1 hour 10 minutes and my daughter Katie beat me by 5 minutes completing it in 1 hour 5 minutes.

“We were both aching a bit the next morning but raising money for such a worthwhile cause made it all worth it.”

Mother, Pat, and Katie, daughter swim 2 kilometres

For more information on the Parkinson’s 100 Challenge and My PD Journey visit the websites