Whalley man to cycle 1,000 miles to raise funds in memory of mother-in-law

A 50-year-old man is putting pedal power to the test by cycling an impressive 1,000 miles for Parkinson’s UK in honour of his mother-in-law, Gwyneth Haworth, who lived with the condition for many years.
By Faiza Afzaal
Published 4th Mar 2019, 14:44 BST
Updated 5th Mar 2019, 11:52 BST
Gary Kay on his bike all ready for the challenge. (s)Gary Kay on his bike all ready for the challenge. (s)
Gary Kay on his bike all ready for the challenge. (s)

Gary Kay hopes to raise thousands towards pioneering research to find a cure for the degenerative brain condition and support for those affected.His 10-day epic challenge will see him cycle a 100-mile route each day for 10 days starting on June 21st. Each ride will be a round-trip starting from Whalley and taking in a different route.

The challenge coincides with the first anniversary of Gwyneth’s death on June 26th and Gary is calling for the local community to back his efforts in her memory by making a donation.He said: “Gwyneth was a bright, kind lady with a real love of life and a great sense of humour. I see so much of her in my wife Rachel.

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“It started with tremors and night terrors. Then she began to experience other symptoms like problems with movement, anxiety and depression.

Gwyneth, the inspiration for Garys epic ride. (s)Gwyneth, the inspiration for Garys epic ride. (s)
Gwyneth, the inspiration for Garys epic ride. (s)

“She was finally diagnosed in 2010 three years after the onset of symptoms. Early last year she became more confused, developing mild dementia and becoming unsteady leading to a couple of falls.

“Gwyneth had a Parkinson’s nurse who made a huge difference, and nobody should be without support when it’s needed the most, which is why I’ve chosen to support Parkinson’s UK with my challenge.”On the final leg of his journey, Gary will be joined by his wife, Rachel, and over 30 of his colleagues from manufacturing company Presspart, based in Blackburn, which has already pledged £1,500 to the challenge.He continued: “I would like to thank Ann Marie Boothman and Vicky Auernigg for helping me promote the challenge, Presspart for their invaluable support, and my colleagues who'll be riding and fundraising with me on June 30th.

“I hope that we’re able to raise as much as we can in memory of Gwyneth to support other people living with this incredibly difficult condition.”Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition that affects 145,000 people across the UK, with an estimated 15,256 people living with Parkinson’s in the North West. It can affect people of all ages and has over 40 symptoms including tremor, loss of mobility and dementia.

To support Gary in his cause, log onto his fundraising pagehttps://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rideforparkinsons