Loïc Vanherck recently got in touch with us to let us know that his employer – international medical equipment supplier Medartis – would be making a donation in support of Parkinson’s research.
Loïc, who was a volunteer with the Demoucelle Parkinson Charity before moving to Switzerland a few years ago, explained what prompted this unexpected … but very welcome … gift.
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How did you fundraise in support of Parkinson’s disease research?
Our company, Medartis, organised a Step challenge. Employees used fitness trackers to count the number of steps taken in a specific time frame. The aim was to collectively cover the equivalent of 85.000 km which is the distance between all Medartis offices (from New Zealand, to Switzerland via the United States).
My colleagues – Erwan, Fabian, Susanne, Undina – and I won the Best Team Award, having recorded the most steps. Our prize was to determine which charity our company made a donation to. We chose the Demoucelle Parkinson Charity.
Why did you decide to support the Demoucelle Parkinson Charity?
For several reasons: we find Patrick and Anne-Marie’s story inspiring; we wanted to contribute to the latest research and development on Parkinson’s diseas;e and, as long-distance running enthusiasts, we particularly appreciate the importance of resilience and applaud the way in which this attribute is at the core of the Demoucelle Parkinson Charity.
Erwan (top left), Fabian (middle), Susanne (bottom left), Undina (bottom right) and Loïc