Running on Empty: 18,000 Miles Down Africa With Parkinson's - Couverture souple

Deacon, Guy

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 180247188X ISBN 13 : 9781802471885

Editeur : Ad Lib Publishers Ltd, 2024

Synopsis

'An immense feat of endurance, a remarkable achievement, and a truly inspirational adventure filled with courage and hope' – Sir Ranulph Fiennes

‘An extraordinary, challenging journey of perseverance and dedication with an important mission to raise awareness of Parkinson's disease. This was not merely a physical journey, but a testament to the power of the human spirit to triumph over adversity – Guy is a true inspiration.’ – Levison Wood, writer, photographer and explorer

At the age of sixty, and having lived with Parkinson’s disease for over ten years, Guy Deacon CBE set out on one last adventure: to drive solo from his home in the UK 18,000 miles and through twenty-five countries to Cape Town on the southern tip of Africa. This incredible journey, across Europe and down the full length of Africa, took the former British Army officer over twelve months. Along the way, he broke down five times, underwent one emergency evacuation, and took 3,650 prescription pills.

There are only a handful of vehicles each year which attempt this difficult journey; many never complete it. Ongoing conflicts in Libya, South Sudan, Mozambique and many other countries make any journey exceptionally dangerous. In central Africa, road conditions, particularly in the rainy season, often make the going treacherous. Further hazards include illegal checkpoints, extortion, contaminated fuel and a lack of services.

Guy drove, lived and slept in his VW Transporter, often in remote spots, hundreds of miles from the nearest village or town. Reliant on patchy GPS, he often got lost. His journey was, quite simply, an incredible feat by a man travelling alone with Stage 3 Parkinson’s disease, when simply putting on a pair of shoes can take half an hour.

But not only did Guy’s journey fulfil a childhood dream to drive the length of Africa, his mission was also to raise global awareness of Parkinson’s disease, for which there is currently still no cure.

A propos du livre

À propos de l'auteur

Guy Deacon CBE joined the British Army in 1985. He spent 18 months in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with the UN disarming and demobilising rebel forces, for which he was awarded an OBE; he was later awarded a CBE for strategic work as Colonel of the Royal Armoured Corps. Guy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2010, but carried on working until the age of 57; he now has Stage 3 Parkinson’s. As an ambassador for the Cure Parkinson’s Trust and Parkinson’s Africa, Guy has visited twenty-five African countries to spotlight the issues associated with Parkinson’s disease in Africa. Guy lives in Dorset with his wife and their dog.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Ad Lib Publishers Ltd
• Date d'édition: 2024
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 180247188X
• ISBN 13: 9781802471885
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 256
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: non disponible