Neil Russell, who is a member of the Rotary Club of Swindon Phoenix, was diagnosed with the degenerative neurological disease in 2018. But that has not dissuaded the athletic Rotarian from planning an ambitious fund-raising challenge later this Spring.
On May 25th, Neil will be running from London to Barcelona to attend the World Parkinson’s Congress which opens in the Spanish city on July 4th. He will be setting out from west London to Portsmouth in May where he will catch the ferry to Caen in northern France.
He will then head south through France and over to Pyrenees to arrive in time for the congress.
Neil explained that he could not be taking on the challenge without the support of his partner and the team who have volunteered to support him through the journey.
He explained: “It’s a personal challenge to prove to all, including myself that I can do it. I want to demonstrate that when you’re diagnosed with Parkinson’s it’s not the end. You can still do amazing things if you have the determination.”
The fact that Neil was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2018 makes the challenge he has done and the one that he is going to do in May even more amazing.”
This is not the first time Neil has taken on a considerable athletic challenge. In 2021, he ran 36 back-to-back marathons covering 948 miles from John O’Groats in Scotland to Land’s End, raising £15,000 for Parkinson’s UK and Cure Parkinson’s.
He is hoping to raise ÂŁ50,000 for the charity with his epic run to Barcelona where he will be speaking at the congress to 3,000 delegates.
Swindon Phoenix Rotary Club secretary, John Fisher, said that they were fully behind Neil.
“The fact that Neil was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2018 makes the challenge he has done and the one that he is going to do in May even more amazing.
“Neil has written a book about the first challenge, which he is waiting to be released. He is an amazing person, and we all hope that he will be able to raise the target he would like for undertaking this huge challenge.”
To find out more details, visit Neil’s website: www.neilstillcan.run
