Paddling for Parkinson's

Kayaker paddles 3,900 miles for Parkinson's charity

An American medical student completed a mammoth solo kayak journey across the States last week to raise money for charity.

Joe Forrester, 24, arrived in the Gulf of Mexico to meet family and friends three months after setting off from West Montana at the beginning of June. The trip raised over $20,000 for The National Parkinson Foundation, a cause that has been close to his heart since his grandfather was diagnosed with the disease in 2005.

The journey took Forrester the length of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers - one of the largest river systems in the world - and across man-made reservoirs. Some of these, such as Fort Peck which is 134 miles in length, require immense stamina to cross,

On his website, Forrester described the dangers posed by a journey made all the more hazardous by the fact that he entered the Southern U.S. at the start of hurricane season. Storms can occur without warning, and lightning can be fatal especially when out on open water. As much of the trip took him into remote areas, wild animals such as black bears and rattlesnakes were also a threat.

To prepare for the trip he spent five months working on skill and strength training and took a radio with him in the hope of advance warning of any change in the weather.

Despite the long journey, paddling for twelve hours every day and wearing the same clothes, Forrester doesn’t plan to spend the next few weeks relaxing by the pool - he heads out to Africa on September 27th for a climbing expedition.

To read more about Forrester and his kayak adventure, visit www.paddlingforparkinsons.com