A MARATHON runner has told how his mum learned to live with Parkinson's disease.

Ian Thomson, 49, has been raising awareness of the condition since Olwen, 74, was diagnosed with Parkinson's five years ago.

This Sunday he will compete in the London Marathon in her name, and for the 120,000 people in the UK with the degenerative neurological condition, for which there is no cure.

Parkinson's develops because of a shortage of the chemical dopamine, which makes people's movements slower, and can lead to shaking or 'tremors'.

Ian, from Mellor Brook, Blackburn, said: “I didn't know anything about the disease, apart from that Muhammed Ali and Michael J. Fox had it.

“But there are 13,000 people who have it in Lancashire, so it's a lot more common than people realise. About five per cent are under 40.

“Symptoms vary by person, but with mum it was the tremors you see with people's arms and hands starting to shake and a loss of balance, and she had a couple of falls and some short term memory loss.”

To mark Parkinson's Awareness Week, the charity Parkinson’s UK has asked people to sign up to help its research, professionals network and 330 support groups.

Ian said his mum found the support groups invaluable.

He said: “The meetings were a big step for her, to meet like-minded people with the same condition and face it.

“Parkinson's doesn't mean the end of your life, your life just becomes different.

“Mentally it doesn't affect her, but physically things she could do before she can't do now.

“She had to adapt, from just little things like opening bottles and tins in the kitchen. It's small things we all take for granted.”

Describing himself as a “middle-aged, overweight, non-exercising guy”, Ian decided to get fit and run marathons to raise money for Parkinson's UK.

He is now approaching £10,000 after four year's efforts.

He said: “I did Los Angeles a few weeks ago, London is on Sunday and Edinburgh is in May.

“I've called it 'three marathons, three months, three countries, one idiot!”

Find our more at parkinsonsuk.org/joinus or support Ian's fundraising at www.virginmoneygiving.com/ianthomson1