A father diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at 35 is urging fellow sufferers to “buy a pair of trainers and a Billy Connolly DVD”.

Bryn Williams admits he “curled up and cried” after he was told he was suffering from a condition he thought was confined to the elderly.

However, within a week he had picked himself up and pulled on a pair of running shoes. Now he says the sport has given him back his life.

This year he has challenged himself to run 10 half-marathons and two full marathons, a massive boost for the Evening Times Glas-goals campaign, which has set a target for the city to walk a million miles for better health.

Next week Mr Williams will join hundreds of running enthusiasts for the Glasgow leg of the jogscotland 5K challenge series, along with wife Vicky and daughters eight-year-old Ella and Rebecca (six).

A junior fun run is held before every main race to help encourage families to exercise together.

Mr Williams said taking up running and maintaining a sense of humour about the condition, which causes muscle tremors, had helped him cope.

He has organised a fundraising gala dinner in September called the Wobbly Banquet.

The 39-year-old , from Bearsden, near Glasgow, said: “When I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s it was a bit of a body blow.

“It was a mixture of relief because I could put a tag on it and fear, because I immediately thought I was going to die.

“My first question to the doctor was, ‘How long will I be able to work for because I have two young kids and a mortgage?’. When he told me 10-15 years I went home, curled up and cried my eyes out.

“But my wife is a pragmatic type and she helped me pick myself up.

“You can’t choose what happens to you but you can choose how you deal with it.

“A week after I was diagnosed I started running. I had never run an inch in my life.

“Running keeps my joints fluid and loose, which is the opposite of what the disease is trying to do.

“There are also the psychological benefits – you feel you are taking action and you get a lot of positive vibes from running.”

There are about 6000 people under 40 suffering from the disease in the UK and the average age for onset is 60.

The condition is caused by the loss of brain cells which produce a chemical called dopamine. It is the dopamine which makes other parts of your brain which coordinate movement work properly.

Symptoms include muscle tremors, stiffness of the limbs and depression. There is no cure, but treatment is aimed at restoring the levels of dopamine and controlling symptoms.

This week campaigners urged MSPs to change the law to force health boards to ensure sufferers of Parkinson’s are given their medication on time.

Mr Williams has set up an internet support group to ensure sufferers have the latest and reliable information about the condition.

He said: “We realised the majority of the population do not know much about Parkinson’s. They think it is a disease of the elderly.

“One of the biggest symptoms of Parkinson’s is depression.

I believe depression is the opposite of hope, so I set up the website to try and give people a bit of reassurance.”

Mr Williams is arranging a series of fundraising events, including a West Highland Way challenge as well as the benefit dinner in September.

He is hoping to secure a special guest – chat show legend Michael Parkinson - a reference to a humorous incident that happened soon after he was diagnosed.

“When I called my father-in-law to tell him I had Parkinson’s disease he said, “You met Michael Parkinson?” explained Mr Williams.

“My advice to people who have just been diagnosed is to go out and buy a Billy Connolly DVD and a pair of trainers and enjoy yourself. Parkinson’s disease not the end of the world.”

For more information about Parkinson’s disease see: www.wobblywilliams.com

 

Sign up to be part of the health revolution

Do you want to get involved in Glas-goals? Well, here’s your chance.

Our campaign is aimed at tackling the city’s appalling health record and it is for everyone, regardless of your age or where you live.

The Evening Times has teamed up with a number of partners including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Culture and Sport Glasgow, Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Housing Association.

And we’ve been working with other key groups including Marie Curie Cancer Care and Sport Relief to help improve the health of every Glaswegian.

We are targeting a series of health goals, including basic fitness, obesity, diet and smoking.

We can help Glasgow stub out a million cigarettes, run, walk, cycle and swim a million miles and lose hundreds of thousands of pounds in weight.

We intend to raise the profile of the great projects – large and small – already tackling health issues across the city.

And throughout the year, we will be staging fun, informative health and fitness events.

Working together – with our partners, with our communities and with our readers – we can make a better future for Glasgow.

So why not sign up today and be part of the Glas-goals health revolution?

Tell us what your goals are for 2010 by sending an email to glasgoals@heraldandtimes.co.uk