John Stapleton on Parkinson's...You learn to live with it

VETERAN TV journalist John Stapleton is philosophical about living with Parkinson's disease, saying: "You can't escape these things as you grow older."

- Mark Jefferies

He added: "These kinds of developments are sort of inevitable. You learn to live with it, get on with it and try to be as positive as you can." He spent years taking a no-nonsense approach as he fought for others' rights with his wife Lynn Faulds Wood on TV's Watchdog.

Now John, 78, is finding the same forthright attitude serves him best.

Sadly after Lynn's death following a stroke in 2020 he will face the future without her, although he has the support of their son Nick.

John has had weekly sessions with a speech therapist to ensure he can still communicate well after his speech showed signs of deteriorating.

Now he is aiming to walk more than 5,000 steps a day and is about to join a keep-fit class specifically for Parkinson's sufferers because exercise helps with the con-