Silver lining of a devastating diagnosis for Lilyfield local Dean Laws

The life-long inner west resident, who has lived in Lilyfield for 36 years after growing up in Leichhardt, is close to his fundraising target of $100,000 nine months early, after running a marathon and staging a gala dinner in March that alone brought in more than $20,000. "There were 160 people there, at the end of the two weeks of rain, and all of a sudden the sun comes out," Mr Laws said.

The money Mr Laws raises for Parkinson's NSW goes towards helping sufferers in their everyday lives, through the funding of support groups, a help line and specialised Parkinson's nurses in the regions.

When Mr Laws was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson's in 2013, he spent the next four or five years "just wandering around taking the medication, and not doing much".

The diagnosis was devastating for the then 52-year-old. The athletic father of three grown children was a professional lifeguard at Leichhardt Aquatic Centre.

He had never drunk alcohol or smoked, and had been a triathlete and soccer player. "It all dropped away because of the things I was dealing with, because it really hits you hard - I was healthy as, and then all of a sudden your brain gives out on you."

The Dean Team came into being in August 2019 after a group of close mates could see Mr Laws was struggling - "I think they could see I was at some tipping point." They decided to focus on an event and, knowing the benefits of exercise for Parkinson's sufferers, that event was a marathon. They all began training.

The Dean Team gathered momentum along the way: merchandise was created; sponsors, donations and the team itself grew; and Mr Laws turned his life around - not least because the hard exercise, both in training and at his rehab centre, saw the number of Parkinson's symptoms he was dealing with fall away from seven or eight to only two.

"I honestly don't think this thing is going to beat me," he told Inner West Review. "I believe there will be a time and a day in my llifetime where they will find a permanent fix for Parkinson's disease."

Mr Laws ran the 42-kilometre marathon around the Bay Run during lockdown in September last year. The support from his team, his friends, complete strangers and his wife Mimma - his high school sweetheart - still brings a tear to his eye.

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"There is no way I could do this without the support of the community - it is so close-knit and supportive; whenever I need something, I know I can call on someone."

In about 18 months, he has raised $86,000, aiming for a target of $100,000 by the end of 2022.

"When we get past that we'll keep going - we''ll set new goals," he said. "I don't see this project ending any time soon."

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