Fundraising for a Parkinson’s cure

Two very important men in 13-year-old Emma Sterling-Smith’s life suffer with Parkinson’s disease. So, for the past three years she’s been fundraising, hoping that one day researchers will find a cure

Emma has a special relationship with her grandfather, 66-year-old Terry Smith.

“We’re best friends basically. We do everything together. We bike ride together, we go to the movies together we do yoga together. We’re very very close.”

Smith lives with Parkinson’s disease, a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. And his father, Emma’s great-grandfather, has it too.

Sterling-Smith and her friend Sasha Susa have been holding an annual bake sale to raise money for Parkinson’s disease.

The first time they put the event on they were just 11 and 12 years old.

“I was just thinking what can I do to make a change not only in my families world but in thousands of other families world. ”

The first year they raised $500, the next they raised over $1,200 and today the donations came rolling in with people donating $5, $10, $20 and even $50 bills.

All the proceeds of the bake sale are going to Parkinson Canada to be spent on research and support for those living with Parkinson’s.

Emma hopes with that, her grandfather will be able to continue keeping up with her.

“I want to to make a change in his live so that he can do those things with me forever.”

Emma and Sasha raised $1,500 this year and are already planning for next year..