First marathon, for his father
A WEST Otago resident will be running a marathon for the first time next month — to raise money and awareness to help families, like his own, who have been affected by neurological diseases.
Aaron Watson (32), of Moa Flat, has entered in the Motatapu offroad marathon event on March 4 with friend Rowan Tumai (25), of Alexandra.
The duo will compete in a marathon for the first time in the name of raising money for the Neurological Foundation of New Zealand.
Aaron’s father, Stu Watson (63), was recently diagnosed with rare neurological disease Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP).
When Stu first started to show symptoms five years ago such as loss of balance, muscle tone and his ability to speak properly, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
However, he was recently rediagnosed with PSP instead.
Aaron said it was hard trying to pin down what exactly was wrong with his father when it was such a rare disease.
Both diseases cause similar symptoms but PSP progresses more rapidly compared to Parkinson’s disease.
Seeing his father slowly become more affected by the disease made Aaron feel helpless as he could not do anything about it.
‘‘You want to help but you can’t.’’
It was emotional seeing his father ‘‘slip away’’.
His goal was to raise at least $5000 and $3000 of that had so far been provided by sponsors Rural Livestock and Peter Lyon Shearing.
Aaron and Mr Tumai had been training for the marathon in the high hills near their own properties.
‘‘This is a firsttime marathon for us both so it’s quite a massive challenge.’’
It had been quite a learning curve, Aaron said.
Fifthgeneration farmer Stu and wife, Paulette (60), had to put the family farm on the market as he was unable to continue working.
‘‘Dad had to move off the farm probably 10 to 15 years earlier than he was hoping,’’ Aaron said.
His father was a physically fit man prior to being becoming ill, Aaron said.
‘‘You’d struggle to chase him around the hills when he was mustering.’’
Mrs Watson said the diagnosis had flipped life upside down.
She was proud of what her son was doing.
Donations can be made to Aaron and Mr Tumai’s givealittle page at givealittle.co.nz/ fundraiser/motatapurun2017 or directly to the Neurological Foundation.