Parkinson's Awareness Week 2010 celebrity supporters

In Parkinson's Awareness Week 2010 more people than ever before came forward to talk about what it's like to be affected by Parkinson's. This included well known supporters, such as our President, Jane Asher, and GMTV's John Stapleton.

The week was all about making sure the voices of people affected by Parkinson's were heard - loud and clear.

Jane Asher

Jane is a successful actress, author and businesswoman. Her brother-in-law has Parkinson's.

"There are about 120,000 people with Parkinson's in the UK and one in 20 people are under 40 when they are diagnosed.

"Parkinson's affects people in different ways.

"I know from personal experience the impact Parkinson's can have on people and their families.

"But with support from Parkinson's UK, we can make sure that no one has to face Parkinson's alone."

John Stapleton

John, whose mother had Parkinson's, is a presenter on GMTV. He feels strongly about finding a cure and better treatments for Parkinson's.

"A breakthrough that just makes the condition easier to live with would make a huge difference to all those who have it and all those who care about them.

"I know that when my mother was diagnosed neither of us thought very much of it. We thought she'd just have to put up with having shaky hands and not being able to open a tin of peas on her own. We had absolutely no idea of what lay in store.

"Visit our fundraising pages to find out how you can get involved and help us find a cure."

• Read the Parkinson's Awareness Week article in the Daily Express, 6 April 2010 John Stapleton: For Mum's sake we need to find a cure for Parkinson's.

Amy Guy

Amy has signed up to the Parkinson's Brain Donor Register. Amy is a successful model, equestrian, and was previously Miss Wales and 'Siren' from Sky1's TV show Gladiators.

"Parkinson's is a degenerative neurological condition and there is currently no cure. For some people having Parkinson's can be a frustrating and isolating experience.

"I've seen first-hand the impact Parkinson's can have on every single aspect of a person's life - my mother has been living with the condition for over 10 years. So Parkinson's UK means a lot to me."

• Read Amy's Parkinson's Awareness Week interview with WalesOnline, 21 March 2010: Amy Guy chutes to thrill. Note that this event was rescheduled to 12 June because of the volcanic ash from Iceland.

Ben Hull

Actor Ben Hull played Lewis in Hollyoaks and has also appeared in Casualty, Doctors and Holby City.

Ben's father-in-law has Parkinson's.

Ben ran the London Marathon as part of our team of 212 runners, our largest team ever.

"I'm thrilled to have been a part of the Parkinson's UK team.

"It was an amazing experience and the support of the crowds was brilliant.

"Hopefully we will smash our fundraising target this year."

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