The Tanaka Walker – Trent Chapman

I hope his finds you well. I’ve decided to write an e-mail to all of my close friends and family to inform you all of the latest challenge I’m embarking on and keep you in the loop of a somewhat different chapter in my life.I’m pretty sure most of you know all about it but for those of you who don’t, I’ll be walking from Brisbane to Sydney over the month of September with a Tanaka Brush Cutter. Yes thats right a Brush Cutter. Pretty random, I know… but as you all know I often do random things…

I’ve had a few questions as to ‘why?’, actually, a lot of questions as to why I’m doing this and many people saying ‘You do know they fly planes on that route” so instead of having to tell the same story over and over again I wanted to share my reasons with you all now.

There is not one reason I am doing this but instead, many small reasons… Both of the charities I’ll be representing and fundraising for are very close to my heart. I’ve been involved with both ‘Beyond Blue’ and ‘Shake It Up’ for some time now and truly believe in the people behind both of them. I am hoping that this walk will help raise funds and awareness for what it is they both stand for, working together to cure Parkinson’s.

This challenge will also allow me to put myself into someone else’s shoes. As most of you are aware I’ve been brought up by the most amazing and beautiful Mother, had the worlds best Aunt and the most caring Nan. This Nan of mine is someone who I’ve became distant with of late all because of Parkinsons. I’ve always had my Nan around me and we’ve always had a ridiculously close bond until the disease began to take over. I know it doesn’t help that I no longer live in the same town but I can no longer talk to my Nan as she can no longer hold the phone. When I do talk to her, Mum has to have her on loud speaker. My Nan was someone who always seen the bright side of life, she now has “No Go” in her expressions or will to live. This is due to the dopamine levels dropping with the Parkinsons and the “toll” it takes on her mentally and physically. I recently spoke to my Nan a month ago for her birthday and as I asked how she was she replied to me “I hope I don’t see another one” I laughed in confusion and said “It’s not that bad Nan, your not that old” she simply replied “You don’t know what its like, I can’t sleep, I can’t eat, I’m afraid to go anywhere, people look at me, I shake all the time, every part of me aches and I have no independence… I can’t do it anymore” I honestly didn’t know what to say, my Nan had always been one to pick me up when I was down but things have seriously taken a change and Nan was completely right when she said I don’t know what it’s like.

This task ahead will put me in a position much like how my Nan lives everyday, I’ll have to hold something on my back which will be heavy, It will shake, I’ll have people looking at me and more than likely will be laughing. I’ll be uncomfortable, my body will ache, I’ll be living off a timetable and I’ll have no other choice but to deal with it. This will allow me for a short period of time to have an insight into how my Nan and Parkinson’s sufferers feel, although it will end for me… and this is the message that I want to share with my Nan and all Parkinsons sufferers… one day it will stop. It honestly will stop, we will have a cure.

I have been lucky enough in my life to meet some amazing men and women who are doing wonderful things to find a cure for this terrible disease. I am kept in the loop with what progress is happening and what research is under way. Two men in particular behind Shake It Up have done amazing things already in their lives and I believe in them. I also believe in all the people whom have come and continue to come together and be part of Team Fox (Partnership of people associated with Shake It Up and The Michael J Fox Foundation). Together I believe we will find a cure and until then we must stay positive and we must continue to raise money to fund the projects. Shake it up is 100% non for profit and as the words of my mate and director of shake It Up “we’re in business to go out of business”Through this walk I hope to be able to shine a little light and remind sufferers of the silver lining, that one day there will be a cure. I don’t know when but I do know we will, until then we must believe and do what we can to help find the cure.
My journey starts this Saturday, 1st of Septemeber and I will be leaving from the Gabba in Brisbane, my journey will end on the 27th of September in Martin Place Sydney. During my travel I will get to spend some time with Depression and Parkinsons sufferers as these super beautiful people will give their time to drive a support van along side me. I’m looking forward to having the time with these people and hope I can make them laugh and enjoy the journey. I have attached a google link below which outlines the “Plan of Attack” and the locations in which we will be at. If you are free or able, please come walk a few k’s with me, whether  its one or one hundred and if you can’t make it then please help me spread the word and drive traffic to the social media sites covering the walk and drive traffic to the donations page. I’ve listed all of the links below:

I plan to leave at 6am most mornings, walk until 10.30 and have a lunch break and do any media, then start back up at 11.30 and finish the day out by around 2.30-3.00pm. On Thursday the 6th I plan to leave at 7am and have some support from my buddies on the Byron to Ballina leg, where I’ll have a mate running his charter bus to get people to where I am at, if your in the area and wish to participate let me know.

I’ve also added a small 2 minute clip of something I’ll watch to give me some inspiration along the way, if you got the time check it out.

Thanks for your time in reading this and cheers in advance for your support, its greatly appreciated. I hope to get to see some of you along the way, if not we will catch up soon.

Take care all, be safe and much love

Trent