Judas Priest launch Glenn Tipton Parkinson’s Foundation

Back in February, Glenn retired from touring with Judas Priest and announced to fans he’s been battling the disease for several years. He has since gone on to guest perform with the heavy metallers at a number of North American tour dates.

Announcing the launch of the Foundation, Glenn said in a statement: "It was the band that suggested we start a foundation which, although in my name, is really a Judas Priest foundation."

All proceeds raised from the foundation will go directly to a "pioneering new treatment called MR guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy which although in its early stages has already had great success with a Parkinson's related condition called essential tremor."

In the first initiative to raise money for the foundation, the band are selling a T-shirt emblazoned with a classic image of Glenn Tipton on the front and the words ‘No Surrender’ – a track on March 2018’s ‘Firepower’ – on the back together with Judas Priest’s logo.

The T-shirt is available to pre-order from the band’s official website right here.

> THE GLENN TIPTON PARKINSON'S FOUNDATION
> Read all the details at https://t.co/lOmhyqY5EB#judaspriest #glenntipton #nosurrender pic.twitter.com/R9CXix3snR > > — Judas Priest (@judaspriest) June 25, 2018

Glenn’s full statement reads: “As you probably know by now I’ve had to pull out of the current Priest tour due to ill health - I am still doing some shows and joining the guys on stage for some songs and will carry on for as long as I can without compromising the band . So far when I walk on stage the audience reaction has been amazing, heart warming and quite emotional.......

“I knew that something was wrong as my co-ordination and speed were affected and have both been slowly getting worse over the last ten years. Accordingly when I was diagnosed it wasn’t really a shock. Rob, Richie, Ian and Scott are playing better than ever and Andy is doing a really great job - they have all given me so much support - It was the band that suggested we start a foundation which although in my name is really a Judas Priest foundation - we are selling t-shirts with the slogan '’NO SURRENDER ’ (a track off the latest album) which is very appropriate considering the determination you have to summon up to get on with life and beat this illness---it’s the sort of thing that always happens to ’someone else'

“There are many Parkinson related charities were we could send the funds we raise to which deal with the many different aspects of this disease both physically and mentally - but what really excites me is a brand new pioneering treatment called: MR GUIDED FOCUSED ULTASOUND THALAMOTOMY which although in its early stages has already had great success with a Parkinson's related condition called essential tremor -  Dr Bain, my specialist who is one of the leading experts in this field and his colleagues are now turning their attention to treating Parkinson's patients with this state of the art MR scanners and are very optimistic as to the positive results that are emerging.

“All proceeds we receive from you will go to this cause and I urge not just Judas Priest fans but everyone out there to help ---If you can't get to the shows you can also purchase t- shirts on line here.

“We will keep you posted on what you have all raised through this tour so remember…Keep the Faith and………. NO SURRENDER !!!

“GLENN TIPTON”