New York to Toronto trek raises Parkinson's awareness

BY AARON D'ANDREA, TORONTO SUN

 JUNE 20, 2016 

Ross Sugar, from left, Sue Thompson and Harry McMurtry are joined by Premier Kathleen Wynne, former premier Bill Davis and former Chief Justice Roy McMurtry at the end of their 500 Miles for Parkinson’s trek from New York City to Toronto on 

Monday, June 20, 2016. (Michael Peake/Toronto Sun)

TORONTO - Most people who visit the Big Apple don’t walk home.

Harry McMurtry did Monday, finishing an 800-km (500-mile) trip on foot to Toronto from New York to raise awareness about Parkinson’s disease.

The 54-year-old has been living with Parkinson’s since 2005, and said the 500-mile walk — backed by Canadian celebrities ranging from Wayne Gretzky to Tom Cochrane — was the best way to raise awareness for the disabling illness.

“We’ve encouraged people to come out of the shadows,” McMurtry said as he, fellow Torontonian Sue Thompson and Baltimore native Ross Sugar, who also have Parkinson’s, reached the end of their 500 Miles for Parkinson’s trek, which began in May.

Parkinson’s is a progressive, debilitating neurodegenerative disease that can leave those afflicted with a broad range of symptoms that affect muscles and the nervous system.

“There is a stigma attached to having a disability: You talk funny, you look funny, you walk funny, and we want to show people that they don’t have to stay in the shadows. Come out and lead fulfilling lives like we do,” McMurtry said.

Now living in New York, McMurtry, the son of former judge and Ontario politician Roy McMurtry, wanted to unite the two cities and two countries in an effort to fight the disease.

“Parkinson’s knows no borders,” he said. “I came to this idea of walking because it’s one of the activities I can still do well, so I thought why don’t I walk from New York to Toronto.”

Mayor John Tory greeted the trio at Osgoode Hall, and several other dignitaries met the walkers at Queens’ Park, including McMurtry’s father, Premier Kathleen Wynne and former premier Bill Davis.

Now that the journey is completed, McMurtry is thrilled that the group was able to reach their goal.

“You never know your limits until you test them,” he said. “I feel like I tested my limits and I came out on top of the disease.”

BY THE NUMBERS:

• The journey began on May 6.
• The trio walked up to 24 km a day for 45 days.
• McMurtry and company started in the Bronx and reached the Canadian border at the beginning of June, walking through cities like Ottawa, Kingston and Belleville before reaching Toronto.
• 500 Miles for Parkinson’s goal is to raise $500,000 for Parkinson’s research. A donation page has been set up on the event’s website fivehundredmiles.org, where the proceeds will be divided by three foundations.
• The event officially wraps up Wednesday with a party at 7 p.m. at Steam Whistle Roundhouse.  

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