Harry McMurtry’s Five-hundred Miles for Parkinson’s walk stops in Cobourg

John Gutteridge plans welcome rally for June 13

COBOURG -- Former Cobourg resident John Gutteridge is planning a welcome rally for Harry McMurtry who, along with Sue Thompson and Dr. Ross Sugar, will walk from New York City to Toronto to raise money for Parkinson’s research. The rally for the 500-mile walkers is on June 13 at 6:30 p.m. in Victoria Park. May 10, 2016.

May 15, 2016

COBOURG -- The signs of Parkinson’s disease almost went unnoticed for former Cobourg resident John Gutteridge. 

Now living with Parkinson’s, Mr. Gutteridge is planning a Cobourg welcome rally for Harry McMurtry who, along with Sue Thompson and Dr. Ross Sugar, is walking from New York City to Toronto to raise money for Parkinson’s research. The rally for the 500-mile walkers is on June 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the bandshell in Victoria Park in Cobourg. 

When Mr. McMurtry arrives in Cobourg, he will be in the last 100 miles of his journey. 

“We think they are going need a boost,” said Mr. Gutteridge who now lives in Stouffville but has many friends and family in Cobourg.He hopes to get as many people as possible to Victoria Park for the rally, which is planned to include musical entertainment, greetings from officials and videotaped messages from celebrity ambassadors. 

The symptoms and progression of Parkinson’s vary in individuals, said Mr. Gutteridge. It was a doctor who first noticed Mr. Gutteridge’s symptoms in 2010. 

Now taking medication, Mr. Gutteridge said his facial expressions can be rigid and his handwriting becomes smaller as medication wears off. However medication helps ease the symptoms and he still plays golf four or five times a week. 

Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, degenerative, neurological condition. The primary symptoms include tremors, rigidity, slowed movement and impaired balance. 

Diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s disease in 2005 at the age of 42, Mr. McMurtry started fundraising for Parkinson’s organizations and events including the Parkinson SuperWalk. Originally from Toronto, he now lives in New York City. 

The walk is intended to bring awareness and raise $500,000 for Parkinson’s disease. The proceeds will be pooled and divided among three beneficiaries: the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research; Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Centre and The Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson’s Disease at the Toronto Western Hospital (led by Dr. Anthony Lang); and the Mount Sinai Beth Israel Movement Disorders Center in New York (led by Dr. Susan Bressman). 

The honorary patron of the walk is Wayne Gretzky and celebrity ambassadors include Andy Barrie, Jeanne Beker and Tom Cochrane. 

Hearing about the walk through a mutual friend, Mr. Gutteridge wanted to lend his support. 

“I figure if he can walk 500 miles, I can do something,” he said. 

Website: http://fivehundredmiles.org/

http://www.northumberlandnews.com/whatson-story/6551870-harry-mcmurtry-s-five-hundred-miles-for-parkinson-s-walk-stops-in-cobourg/