WHILE many people will be indulging in chocolate eggs this Easter weekend, one 18-year-old Tavistock student will be taking on a tough challenge to paddle 125-miles in a canoe to raise money and awareness for Parkinson’s UK.

Mount Kelly student Emily Farrington is taking part in the Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race starting tomorrow (Good Friday) and finishing on Easter Monday in a bid to raise funds for Parkinson’s UK after her mum Mary-Ann was diagnosed with early on-set of the disease two years ago at only 50 years old.

The race starts in Devizes in Wiltshire and finishes just downstream of Westminster Bridge in Central London, opposite the Houses of Parliament.

Emily will be undertaking the gruelling challenge with her dad Jo Farrington in the Junior/Veteran category of the race, which attracts participants from across the globe.

Emily said: ‘Two years ago my mum, aged 50, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition for which there is currently no cure. Hearing this news was a huge, unexpected shock and we have no idea how quickly it will progress. Since being diagnosed she has suffered from a lot of pain and unfortunately, although the medication helps, they do have side effects. Despite this illness, she manages two jobs and supports me, Jamie and Tash through everything.’

Mary-Ann and her two other children will be accompanying the duo on their journey, providing support and back up along the way.

Mary-Ann said: ‘It’s a huge challenge and a severe test of skill, physical and mental stamina — the canoeist’s equivalent of climbing Mount Everest it is said! She did it last year with Mount Kelly but due to really bad weather, the organisers had to reluctantly cancel the last day which was a huge disappointment to all the participants.

‘So she has enlisted her dad this year. They bought a boat and she is determined to have another go at this challenge and row under Westminster Bridge this time. They have been training very hard all winter in all kinds of weather conditions and by competing in a series of waterside races to prepare and we — myself and my two other children — will be the support crew following by car and feeding, changing water bottles, applying plasters to blisters, giving out pain relief for aching muscles at the portages — which is where they have to get out of the boat and carry it to get around the locks — and generally cheering and encouraging them on.’

Emily has so far managed to raise just over £1,000 on her JustGiving website thanks to family, friends and White Stuff in Tavistock where Mary-Ann works, but she would like to raise as much money as possible for the charity.

With it being Parkinson’s UK awareness week this week, Mary-Ann added: ‘One in 500 people are affected by the disease in the UK and it is not just an “old person’s disease” with about 10 per cent of people under 50 being diagnosed each year — some even in their 20s and 30s.

‘Most people just think of Parkinson’s as someone having a tremor or shake, but it is much more than that and very often the medications taken to help with the symptoms — stiffness, rigidity, pain, tremor, slowness of movement and many non-movement related symptoms — cause side effects that are almost as bad as the actual disease symptoms!’

Anyone who would like to support Emily in her challenge can donate by visiting www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Emily-Farrington1