A Leeds grandad with Parkinson’s Disease has pimped out his mobility scooter in a bid to thwart the debiliating illness.
John Browne, 80, has also recently survived a battle with bowel cancer and looks after his disabled wife Pamela in their home in Wortley. Growing sick and tired of staying in, after a serious operation and lots of chemotherapy, the grandad-of-two decided to adorn his mobility scooter in Leeds United memorabilia and entertain fellow fans on matchdays.
For every home game, John drives the scooter to Elland Road Stadium ahead of kick-off. He has a pair of boomboxes attached to back, blasting out Leeds United anthems.
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Once he’s arrived outside the ground, he allows fellow fans to take pictures inside and beside the scooter. He loves bringing joy to fellow United supporters and does this all free-of-charge.
Then ten minutes before the match when the crowds have cleared, he drives back home to Wortley, as he doesn’t believe his health could take watching a match from inside the stadium.
John said: “I got the idea I would turn everything into a positive. With Parkinson’s Disease, you’ve got to fight it. A lot people ‘retire to the chair’ and if you do that, you lose everything.
“I spend a lot of the day trying to do stuff, moving about, and my wife is disabled so I have to do all the cooking as well. The scooter has given me a new purpose in life, it’s motivated me to carry on.
“I get up everyday and I think if it wasn’t for that, I don’t think I’d be getting out of my chair much. With Parkinson’s, it’s so easy to do nothing because you feel tired all the time and you feel really ill. Life is very hard.”
The former antiques dealer, who was born near Mabgate, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s about 12 years ago after getting a tremor in his right arm. The disease has since spread across his whole body. It also affects his diet, with difficulty eating solid foods as he finds it hard to swallow, and says it has taken a toll on his mental health.
Two years ago, he was diagnosed with bowel cancer. He was fortunate a surgeon was available to operate just a few days later to remove the affected colon and bowel.
Loving wife Pamela, 75, said: “As far as I’m concerned, with what he’s been going through, the scooter gives him pleasure, keeps him occupied and he’s not down. I think having some positives things to do has been good for him. He’s enjoyed it.
“Parkinson’s is an awful thing and the cancer held him back but he’s always been one for soldiering on.”
Will you be taking a picture besides John's scooter ahead of the next Leeds match? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
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