Annual Walk for Parkinson's raises roughly $70,000 in London, Ont.
According to Parkinson Canada, more than 100, 000 Canadians live with Parkinson’s Disease and 25 more are diagnosed everyday.
Although there is still no cure for this complex brain disease, each year the Parkinson’s Society of Southwestern Ontario hosts its annual Walk for Parkinson’s event at 13 different locations across the region in order to raise money and awareness for the disease.
This year, participants in London raised roughly $70,000 and the entire region raised about $350,000.
A large part of that money was thanks to Chad McGahan, 38, and his wife Cheri who participated in the walk for the first time.
“We started out with a goal of hoping to raise $500 and now I think we’re just over $10,000,” said Chad.
He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s about eight months ago and continues to lean on the Parkinson’s Society for the support he needs as he navigates through this new chapter in his life.
“It’s not just an old person disease, I’m 38,” Chad said. "It affects everybody and people here at the Parkinson’s Society have been great, they’re why I’m here today with a smile on my face.”
Chairman of the Parkinson’s Society of Southwestern Ontario, Brad Richards, says the funds raised during this walkathon help the Parkinson community tremendously in achieving their goals.
“The ultimate goal is, of course, a cure one day. But our main goal we’re trying to do at our board is to make life comfortable for people as much as you can whether it be in drugs or exercise or mental health,” said Richards.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.