9 Thank You Letters I Should Have Sent

As children, my parents always encouraged us to write thank-you letters for our gifts at Christmas or birthdays. It’s something that has stuck with me and I always try to still do it now, even if it defaults to an email or text if I’m busy.

Christmas always makes me think about the things and people I’m grateful for. And while thinking about it this year, I realised they probably don’t even know how much of an impact they’ve had on my life. So here are my unsent life thank you letters, the ones I really should have written.

Tom Isaacs | Friend and founder of The Cure Parkinson’s Trust

Dear Tom,

I probably should have told you this when you were still with us, but I hope you guessed it by the way I acted around you. You were my role model and still are. The word ‘inspirational’ is bandied around too often to have meaning anymore so I won’t do you the mis-service of using it with you. But you were a light. And you continue to be for so many of us who face Parkinson’s every day, hoping to emulate just a little tiny speck of your humour, cheekiness, positivity, and tenacity.

Thank you for showing me that a diagnosis of Parkinson’s is just a change. One you weren’t necessarily expecting but that doesn’t need to be the end of the world just the start of a new life.

I’m sorry that every time I said hello and hugged you I’d knock you off balance. I like to think it was our auras of sheer bloody mindedness colliding.

You will always be missed,
Emma
 

Annie and Ned Lawton | My parents

Dear mum and dad,

Thank you for being proud of me even though I took the path less trodden. Your belief in me and unwavering support makes me feel invincible sometimes.

You make Parkinson’s less scary.
Emma
 

David Sangster | Friend and Parkinson’s ambassador

Dear David,

Meeting you made me realise I wasn’t alone. You generously opened a world up for me filled with other people who knew immediately how I felt to get my diagnosis. Without you, and them, the last 6 years might have played out very differently.

Thank you for being a fearless and honest storyteller and for making me feel like I wanted to share my story too. In my years living with this condition, I’ve seen such progress in awareness and you have really made your mark.

Emma
 

Viv Redford | My speech and drama teacher when I was younger

Dear Viv,

I always thought I would be an actress. At the time you were teaching me I was fanatical, I couldn’t get enough of being on a stage. I changed my mind and didn’t go to drama school as I had always dreamed and part of me wonders what if.

Thank you for teaching me how to hold a room in the palm of my hand. For building my confidence in myself. And for making communication and speech quality so important to me that I now work hard to keep my voice clear when Parkinson’s tries to strip that. It’s one of the things in life I’m most grateful for and my biggest fear.

Thank you for helping me love a stage and to not be afraid of it. It’s held me in good stead for sharing my story far and wide. And finally, thank you for teaching me, at an age where everything felt unsettled and challenging, who I was and what I had to share with the world.

Emma
 

Anne Martin | My Parkinson’s nurse when I was diagnosed

Dear Anne,

I can still vividly remember my diagnosis day. My parents and I were sat in the consultant's office feeling lost. You set us on the right path and for that, I will always be grateful.

Thank you for showing me that life goes on, for introducing me to the network of Parkinson’s friends I love and rely on and for putting the disease firmly in its place. Your attitude is something I’ve emulated and it’s what gets me through. Thank you doesn’t really say enough. But it’s a start.

Emma
 

Jude Habib | Founder of Sound Delivery and creator of Being the Story

Dear Jude,

When I walked out onto the stage with my mum and dad and a stack of props I felt buoyant. It was one of my first speaking slots, but you had boosted my confidence to the point I felt like I’d been doing it my whole life. Since then you have always been so supportive of everything I’ve done.

Thank you for giving a voice and a platform to so many, for being totally unselfish in every venture you undertake and making every one of us who steps out on a stage for you feel superhuman.

Emma
 

Haiyan Zhang | Head of Innovation at Microsoft Research and creator of the Emma Watch

Dear Haiyan,

Even though I don’t need to wear your incredible invention, The Emma Watch, as much anymore I hope you know the change you and it brought to my life. You gave me my confidence back at work, showed me with technology I can do anything and proved to me my talent was worth investing in.

Thank you for opening doors into an industry that fascinates me and for being a great STEM role model. But most of all thank you for seeing me as a human and a friend rather than a project.

Emma
 

Undisclosed boss at a previous job

Dear boss,

Little did you know that your constant bullying and belittling of me and my condition would be the impetus to work harder to prove you wrong. Most of the things I’ve achieved I’ve done so with you and your disparaging words in the back of my head.

Thank you for teaching me never to trust people who don’t earn it and for showing me that karma always has its way in the end.

Emma
 

Parkinson’s

Dear little p,

Thank you for challenging me. I like who I’ve become and that’s mostly down to you poking and prodding at me daily. By being forced to solidify my personality, my dreams, my ambitions, my values I have the clearest picture of myself. That’s been so important these past 6 years.

You don’t get to win.

Emma