Perth gran not letting illness get in her way

Charity: Doreen plans to abseil off Forth Bridge in latest fundraising venture despite Parkinson’s

A Perth grandmother is not letting a long-term illness destroy her zest for life.

Doreen Brown, 60, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 10 years ago but has taken part in skydiving and abseiling for charity, along with doing voluntary work in Africa.

The grandmother, who works in a charity shop, is planning to abseil off the Forth Bridge later this year to raise funds for Parkinson’s UK and described how her condition first came to light.

“I had a slight tremor in my arm and my kids were telling me to stop shaking. I told them it’s just old age. A few months down the line I thought I’d better go and see about it.”

After getting two different opinions she was sent to a hospital for a scan that showed she did not have a brain tumour, as one doctor had initially thought, but was diagnosed with Parkinson’s shortly afterwards.

“It didn’t take long for me to get a diagnosis, but it took about two years before I got stabilised on the medication,” said Mrs Brown.

“That was just them trying different things on me and I either kept fainting or falling asleep.

“Everyone’s

Idohave good days and bad like most people with Parkinson’s. Sometimes I struggle to getoutofmy bed, but the next day I’m jumping out of an aeroplane. DOREEN BROWN

different with

Super gran – Doreen Brown with granddaughter Olivia.