Joyce Cook walks over 300,000 steps for Cure Parkinson’s
86 year old Chorleywood resident completes 300,000 step challenge for Parkinson’s
On Monday 10 May, 86 year old Joyce Cook from Chorleywood crossed the finish line of her incredible 300,000 step challenge. Joyce walked more than 10,000 steps each day for one month, beginning on 11 April (World Parkinson’s Day), to raise funds for the charity Cure Parkinson’s. She has so far raised over £3,500.
Rain clouds gave way to sunshine on Monday afternoon as Joyce walked her final stretch over Chorleywood Common to break the finish line ribbon, where she was met and congratulated on her achievement by the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Robert Voss CBE, the Queen’s representative in the county and a patron of Cure Parkinson’s.
I am delighted to have completed this challenge. I love walking and being out in the fresh air, but I must admit covering this distance each day was hard and I am pretty tired now. My feet are covered in blisters! But I am so glad to have raised money to help find a cure for Parkinson’s, and to have been met by the Lord Lieutenant was a real honour. Thank you so much to everyone who cheered me on and donated to Cure Parkinson’s
Joyce Cook
I am hugely proud of my mum for thinking up and completing this challenge. She was laser-focused throughout her 30-day mission – 10,000 steps a day, no fewer, all for a cure – and ended up covering precisely 369,630 steps by the time she got to the finish ribbon. It was typically supportive of the Lord Lieutenant – a devoted patron of Cure Parkinson’s – to greet her at the finish: after all, she had walked around much of his county in the previous month! It was wonderful for her achievement to be marked in such a special way.
Will Cook, CEO of Cure Parkinson’s
Joyce Cook has been an active and engaged member of the local community for decades. Born in 1934 in Llangollen, North Wales, she moved to Pinner, Northwood and finally Chorleywood in the 1950s-1990s, working as a primary school teacher and marriage guidance counsellor in the 1960s-90s before serving as a local JP before retirement. She remains passionate about health and fitness as a way of keeping the mind active.
Cure Parkinson’s is incredibly grateful to Joyce for taking on this huge challenge. In 2020, 95% of the charity’s fundraising events were cancelled or significantly changed. The support of fundraisers like Joyce is vital, now more than ever, for Cure Parkinson’s to continue its work funding urgently needed research into a cure for Parkinson’s.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
For more information or press enquiries: rachel@cureparkinsons.org.uk or 01923 779555
About Cure Parkinson’s
We’re here for the cure. Cure Parkinson’s is working with urgency to find new treatments to slow, stop and reverse Parkinson’s. Our funding and innovation has redefined the field of Parkinson’s research, enabling the world’s leading researchers to prioritise the next generation of drugs for clinical trial. Together we will conquer Parkinson’s.
Further information at cureparkinsons.org.uk
Cure Parkinson’s is the operating name of The Cure Parkinson’s Trust. The Cure Parkinson’s Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales (1111816) and Scotland (SCO44368) and is a company limited by guarantee – company number 5539974 (England and Wales).
