John Thatcher

I love people and life, and try to keep on smiling – NEVER, EVER, GIVE IN!

I cannot walk very well but, still ride my bike most days which gives me much needed exercise and social contact.

I love singing and you will often find me in karaoke bars in Burnham-on-Sea and Albufiera (we had a nice apartment there for 16 years but had to give it up, in 2018, because of my condition).

My biggest frustration is being slow and clumsy – I know what to do and how to do it; I just cannot!

Retired in 2015, having managed a number of medium sized manufacturing companies from 1987 until 2010 and acted as a self-employed Business Improvement specialist to small businesses.

Born April 1953

Batchelors Degree 1976

Fellowship 1982

First Directorship 1987

Joined Mensa 1989 (IQ = 158)

First Managing Directorship 1995

First symptom of Pd – Drop Foot in left leg – 1999 – (Although, I did not know it until I was Officially Diagnosed with Pd in 2009)

Lived and worked in USA for 13 months 2001/2002

Officially Diagnosed with Pd in 2009

First brain surgery (To prepare for GDNF Clinical Trial) 2013

Second brain surgery (To correct wobbly portal) 2014

Clinical Trial participant 2015 and 2016 (It WORKS!)

2017 until we get GDNF approved for use, or I die, fighting to get GDNF a fair trial.