Man with Parkinson's takes on 30 sports in 30 days

A man with Parkinson's disease is taking on 30 different sports in 30 days to raise money for charity.

Gary Shaughnessy, from Tadley, in Berkshire is doing the month-long sports challenge across September for Parkinson's UK.

Mr Shaughnessy was diagnosed with the condition in 2015 and over the past decade he has raised more than £500,000 for the charity.

He said: "I wanted to try something a bit different and most of these sports I haven't done before and some of them take me right out of my comfort zone."

He said he stole the idea for the challenge "unashamedly" from Charlie Appleyard, who runs charity Sport Parkinson's.

Mr Shaughnessy, who is halfway through his challenge, said he had never played netball before but is had been "really good".

"They put me in goal attack and I had a really fun time," he said.

"I really enjoyed the paddleboarding until I fell in, that was on the Kenison Avon and that is cold and probably not best to drink it.

Of all the sports he has tried, he said skydiving was "superb" but "required more courage than the others".

"I really loved that, I really did," he said.

"They were so good with me I didn't have much time to think, they said 'legs out' and suddenly you're out the door and you're 10,000ft in the air.

"The rush of free-falling is very difficult to deal with... but I got a wonderful view of Salisbury once the canopy went up."

Later on this month he will be taking part in walking rugby, athletic sprint training, hammer throwing, climbing, trampolining and kayaking.

So far he has raised £21,000 for Parkinson UK and said: "I'd like to see that go as high as possible if we can."

He will be completing his challenge at the end of September.

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Related Links

• Parkinsons UK