A SPECIAL guest cycled into Nambucca Heads RSL Club last weekend (July 4).

Jason Williams arrived as a guest of Wendy Mills, CEO of the Club who had heard about Jason’s life-threatening disease and the 1800km cycle ride he is doing from Burleigh Heads to Sydney and back.

“Wendy got in touch and offered us to stay over on the way through Nambucca,” Jason told News Of The Area.

@shakerattleandroll2021 is the Instagram handle for Jason Williams since a rare form of Parkinsonism (MSA-P) took its grip on Jason’s body.

He shakes, he rattles and now he’s rolling down the highway on a mission to spread awareness of the disease and raise funds for the financial impact it’s having on his family.

He has an incredibly supportive wife, Tina, and four daughters, a loving close-knit family and community.

Jason’s mental health has been challenged as he faced the diagnosis that MSA-P will take his life in two to five years.

“I was in a bit of a dark place – this disease messes with your mind, so I thought I’d start doing something for myself,” Jason told News Of The Area.

So he got his bike out.

“One day I just said to my wife, I think I might ride to Sydney, then I put it up on social media.”

Committed, he started getting offers of support.

The ride has the backing of generous major sponsors, most notably LIVIN’ a not-for-profit organisation breaking the stigma of mental health, Shake it Up Australia the foundation to find a cure for Parkinson’s, and Victory Ford Coolangatta/Tweed who supplied the support van.

“The ride became more important to me when I got the diagnosis that my MSA-P has a lifespan, it’s pretty confronting to hear that.”

Until a few years ago Jason had been fit and healthy, working as a fireman with Fire and Rescue NSW on the North Coast, latterly as Deputy Captain at 514 Banora Point.

Today he is an inspiration to others to take action in adversity.

For information about donations to Jason’s GoFundMe campaign, visit https://gofund.me/2614c720.

 

By Andrea FERRARI