John Granahan, now 51, first experienced symptoms of the debilitating disease – characterised by unintended and uncontrollable movements – as a teenager. And 30 years after he was diagnosed, the computer technician wants to show other people what can be done.
John said: “The first memory I ever have of my Parkinson’s is when I was 13 in English class. I’ll never forget it. I put my foot on the floor and started shaking and I couldn’t stop it.
“Gradually it got worse and worse and when I left school at 16 to start an electrical apprenticeship it really started getting noticeable. I remember going to see doctors when I was 16, 17, 18 and they would say to me, ‘Stop drinking and smoking and you’ll be fine’.