Poor Robin

I read today that Robin Williams had been diagnosed with Parkinson's and this may have contributed to his decision to end his life.

If that's true - and it is a fact that Parkinson's can affect behaviour and mood - it would mean his illness was more advanced than anyone thought and he should have been getting help much earlier. 

This is my friend Alex, who has lived with Parkinson's for 15 years now:

He's pretty remarkable is Alex. He worked at a whole range of jobs until he couldn't work any more and then he started volunteering. He and I deliver books to the 'homebound' in Cardonald, Mosspark, Govan and Ibrox every Monday and Thursday. When I'm not available to deliver books by car, he happily delivers on foot or on the bus using his bus pass. Alex has been volunteering so long that he is one of the volunteers who are called upon when Glasgow Libraries want to sound the volunteers out. 

He is also an active volunteer for Parkinson's Scotland, a magnificent organisation that supports sufferers all over the country. Till quite recently Alex was an office bearer in the organisation. He still supports them by telling everyone he meets with Parkinson's or relatives with Parkinson's how to access support and he fund-raises for them. He's done a sponsored walk in the past - not so easy with the big P - and he's shortly going to do a zip slide at Braehead. 

If you can spare a wee bit of cash, support his zip slide on justgiving.com: 

https://www.justgiving.com/alexander-anderson2/

Myself, I think he's nuts but he's a stubborn bugger - it's probably what has kept him going. 

Of course, a diagnosis of Parkinson's is not to be taken lightly but Michael J Fox is dealing with it well: 

It used to be thought of as an old person's illness but Michael J was young when he got his first symptoms, and we forget that happens often with terrible illnesses like Parkinson's...and stroke and dementia.

Stem cell research will help us find a cure for this and, let's hope, other neurological illnesses. Support that too whenever you can. 

Meanwhile, we can only wish Robin Williams's family well - and Michael J Fox and his family - and Alex. Heroes, all of them.