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Freetown to Cape Town with Parkinson’s Disease

Documentary - A British colonel’s solo voyage across Africa, fighting Parkinson’s stigma.

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Freetown to Cape Town with Parkinson’s Disease

Freetown to Cape Town with Parkinson’s Disease

Freetown to Cape Town with Parkinson’s Disease

Freetown to Cape Town with Parkinson’s Disease

Freetown to Cape Town with Parkinson’s Disease

Documentary - A British colonel’s solo voyage across Africa, fighting Parkinson’s stigma.

Documentary - A British colonel’s solo voyage across Africa, fighting Parkinson’s stigma.

Documentary - A British colonel’s solo voyage across Africa, fighting Parkinson’s stigma.

Documentary - A British colonel’s solo voyage across Africa, fighting Parkinson’s stigma.

Guy Deacon
Guy Deacon
Guy Deacon
Guy Deacon
1 Campaign |
London, United Kingdom
$37,182 USD $37,182 USD by 249 backers
$33,591 USD by 213 backers on Mar 18, 2022

Summary

My purpose is crystal clear: the world needs to be more aware of the devastating effects Parkinson’s disease has on an individual’s entire being. And, we must fight the stigma’s associated with Parkinson’s disease and its symptoms. This documentary will achieve both.

I’m Guy Deacon, a retired British Army Colonel on a mission to raise awareness about the realities of living with Parkinson’s disease both in the UK and Africa. I have already driven over five thousand miles from England to Sierra Leone crossing the snowy passes of the Atlas Mountains, the deserts of the Western Sahara and the sahel of Senegal to demonstrate that having Parkinson’s disease need not dominate my life. The challenge was significantly greater than I had foreseen but nothing compared to what is to come.

I was evacuated from Sierra Leone in April 2020 following the outbreak of COVID-19. So, I have lost two years, but this just makes me more determined than ever to complete the next seven thousand miles to South Africa. Since I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2011 every aspect of life has become slowly but inexorably more difficult. There will be a time in the future when I can no longer drive and I will become dependent on others, but that time is not yet and I will not let Parkinson’s disease stop me from living a full life.

This documentary will shine a light on three things:

 1) the mental and physical toll that Parkinson’s disease takes upon an individual’s body and mind, as I overcome the physical and mental challenges on this gruelling journey.

2) the challenges faced by those in Africa living with Parkinson’s disease, many of whom are stigmatised by the disease’s symptoms and alienated by society. But it will also give voice to the wonderful work being done by those dedicated health workers who are addressing the condition, in the most difficult environments and hard to reach places. During my journey I’ll be highlighting the work of the African charities who support those living with Parkinson’s with limited access to help.

3) countries which are little known to a western audience, all of which possess stunning scenery, spectacular ecosystems and fascinating histories.

What We Need & What You Get

I am paying all of the travel costs, but I require funds to pay for professional filming, editing and logistics. All funds donated will go directly to the making of this documentary. Having Parkinson’s disease is making it increasingly difficult for me to do things myself and I need to be supported by a professional filmmaker. Rob Hayward of New Fruit Productions and  accomplished Producer Adrian Pennink. £25,000 is required to make this documentary possible, but we need more funds to ensure this film exceptional viewing quality. 

Cost breakdown

Filming equipment:

£3,100 - DJI Drone, 2 Gopro 10, Ancillaries (tripods vehicle mounts & cables microphones), Video camera Sony HDR AX53, Nikon P1000 

In-country costs:

£5,000 – hiring local film crews for set piece interviews                  

£2,000 – travel and transport for videographers three visits as required                

£3,000 – filming permits

£7,000 – editing fees at £50 per hour for 140 hours (2 weeks)        

£2,000 – postproduction and marketing at £25 per hour                 

Approx. £2,000 - 10% contingency

Donation Rewards

£1,000+

You may have your name or business added to the documentary credits.

You will also be publicly thanked by me, within the narrative of the film should you wish.

Credited in the annex of my supporting book.

£5,000+

All the above plus, advertising space on my vehicle, in the form of a medium sized logo.

You or a representative will have the opportunity to appear in the documentary, explaining why you are backing the project.

Credited in the annex of my supporting book.

£10,000+

All the above plus, a larger logo on the vehicle.

The unique opportunity for you or someone of your choice to join me for a 2 weeks period at a country of your choosing, between Sierra Leone and South Africa. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to 1) witness the striking beauty of the African wilderness 2) be a part of the making of an incredible piece of documentary journalism.

The Impact

Parkinson’s disease is an invidious condition which has recognised symptoms, but also affects people in unseen ways. It is more of a prison sentence than a death sentence but still saps your will to live. This film will be brutally honest in showing you what it’s really like to live with Parkinson’s and I will not be shying away from the difficult subject of mental health and well-being. It will also address the stigma of Parkinson's in Africa head-on to raise awareness and force the need to find a cure further up the agenda.

The documentary is supported by Cure Parkinson’s and Parkinson's Africa, who have access to the film and will be able to present it to their captive online audiences. I aim to reach a global audience and am preparing a submission to the BBC, Channel 4 and other major broadcasters. It will also be presented to the Royal Geographical Society. of which I am a fellow.

Risks & Challenges

Whilst conditions in Africa can be tough and travelling alone will be challenging, I am familiar with Africa and have completed a number of trips and expeditions before.

There are three areas of risk:

First, driving in Africa can be a very dangerous experience particularly in built-up areas. My technique is always to plan carefully when I arrive in capital cities and large conurbations, so that I do not arrive either at rush-hour or in the evening when traffic and lighting forms a dangerous combination. I then don’t use my own vehicle on routine trips but always take the local taxis who know the roads, and the driving conditions better than me.

I am conscious that some of the roads that I will be travelling will be in a very poor condition. I have prepared my vehicle for the worst conditions that I’m likely to encounter. And I’m carrying enough recovery equipment to get me out of most problems. Although this will be difficult to do by myself, everything has been prepared in such a way that I can manage along. But in my experience, there is always somebody standing nearby who is willing to help.

Some parts of some of the countries I’m travelling through are suffering from poor security, but I am linked to a strong network of facility providers who have security at the top of the list for their own organisations and have agreed to advise me and help me pass through the most difficult countries. Provided the situation does not change and I follow the advice given to me by experts on the ground, I am confident that I will be able to make the journey without a significant incident. Nevertheless, I will be an attractive target for minor theft and corruption. In my experience both can be alleviated by simple measures such as locking things away properly and hiding them from view and waiting and waiting and waiting until anybody who seeks backhanders gets bored of waiting any longer. Time is a great ally in this respect.

It is possible my vehicle will suffer some mechanical problems, but I am technically competent and am carrying a significant supply of spares provided by VW. It is my experience that there is always somebody nearby who knows how to fix everything.

I do not pretend to be an expert film maker hence the need to raise money and employ a videographer. The challenge for me is doing so with Parkinson’s diesease when every single action is more difficult than it should be. I will have a range of stabilised cameras and tripods and mounting points which should alleviate this particular problem and I am training hard to make the most of my equipment.

Other Ways You Can Help

If you aren’t able to contribute financially, pleased share my Indiegogo page with someone that might. Whether you email it to a friend or share it on your social media, you are still spreading my story to a wider community and raising awareness of Parkinson’s disease. Any support you can give as I undertake this journey will be most welcome and make a real difference not just to me, but to many people in Africa and generations after me when a cure is found.

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Virtual perk

Currency Conversion $3 USD
£2 GBP
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£10 GBP
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Currency Conversion $126 USD
£100 GBP
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25 claimed

Name/business accreditation

Currency Conversion $1,263 USD
£1,000 GBP
You may have your name or business added to the documentary credits. You will also be publicly thanked by me, within the narrative of the film should you wish.
Included Items
  • Name/business accreditation
3 claimed

Accreditation & advertising

Currency Conversion $6,317 USD
£5,000 GBP
You may have your name/business added to the documentary credits. You will also be publicly thanked within the narrative of the film should you wish. Advertising space on my vehicle, in the form of a medium sized logo. You or a representative will have the opportunity to appear in the documentary, explaining why you are backing the project.
Included Items
  • Accreditation & advertising
1 claimed

Join me in Africa & feature

Currency Conversion $12,633 USD
£10,000 GBP
Name/business added to the documentary credits. Publicly thanked within the narrative of the film. Large advertising space on my vehicle. You can feature in the documentary and you or someone of your choice can join me in Africa for 2 weeks at a point of your choosing between Sierra Leone and South Africa.
Included Items
  • Join me in Africa & feature
0 claimed

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