Tallow-born Ian O’Brien, now living in Dungarvan, is undertaking a significant challenge: to conquer the 27 highest points in the European Union plus Ben Nevis in the UK, in just 28 days. The former St Colman’s College students was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s disease (EOPD) at the age of 38, and is raising money for the charity EOPD.ie
Recently celebrating his birthday, the now-43 year old did not get a diagnosis of Parkinson’s for a number of years. His initial symptoms were depression and anxiety, and he went through a number of years of various tests before a friend suggested he see a neurologist: within 10 minutes, he had his diagnosis.
Always an outdoorsy type, when Ian went back to his friend and told him, he “dragged me up to the top of Carrauntoohill! I thought, if I can get on top of Ireland’s highest mountain, I can get on top of this disease”.
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