Rolls-Royce worker with Parkinson's disease stages charity bike ride

December 26, 2016

From left: Mark Olver, Bernie Docherty and Mark Haynes

A Rolls-Royce worker diagnosed with a hyper-aggressive form of Parkinson's disease will mark the second anniversary of his diagnosis with a charity bike ride.

Doctors told 52-year-old Bernie Docherty that tremors noticed by his wife June were sure signs of the degenerative disease in 2015.

But, after a year of "living in denial", he decided to "turn a bad day into a good day" by organising a fund-raising bike ride with his pals from the Malt Shovel pub.Mr Docherty, who lives in Spondon with his wife June, 50, and son Tony, 31, said he tried to hide his pain by making jokes.He said: "My doctor, Nin Bajaj, told me there and then it was Parkinson's disease - he could tell by my gait.

"It came as a shock. We knew something was wrong but to have it confirmed was devastating. My wife was there with me, so I tried to put on a brave face and joke about it but, internally, I was in turmoil."

The warehouse officer said he spent a year of sleepless nights – Parkinson's affects sleep patterns – pretending he did not have the disease.

Bernie Docherty

He said: "I kept that wall up and it wore me down. It all came out at once. I was in a low mood. I started isolating myself from everyone, not socialising and just getting on with it.

"I was sitting alone in the kitchen at 4am and I thought I need to go to a bike ride – but then I thought I could do one for charity. Originally, it was just myself but some friends wanted to come along."

Now three friends from the Malt Shovel pub in Spondon – Shaun Leese, Mark Olver and Mark Haynes – have agreed to join him on a 100 mile bike ride.

Mr Docherty said: "I have known them for a couple of years. I have a load of good friends from there. I play darts there on a Monday but I get laughed at! It's a social night out.

"And Saturday night is the date night with the wife. That only came about recently but that's a positive that's come out recently."

Mr Docherty is aiming to raise £2,000 and is optimistic about his fund-raising target - and he said he plans on riding the route in full Celtic kit.

He said: "We have put on the page that we'd like to raise £2,000. We started raising in November and we're already over the £1,000 mark. It will all go towards funding support and research.

"When I got home after being diagnosed, my son said: 'Don't worry Dad, everything will be all right.' That's when my wife said: 'It's not Bernie that's got Parkinson's…we've all got Parkinson's.'"

http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/rolls-royce-worker-bernie-docherty-turns-parkinson-s-diagnosis-into-charity-bike-ride-fundraiser/story-29961489-detail/story.html