IT is a devastating disease that counts the late boxer Muhammad Ali and Hollywood star Michael J Fox among its most high-profile victims.
But 200 years after it was first recognised, campaigners are today launching an appeal for "desperately needed" funds to revolutionise research into Parkinson's disease, amid warnings that there have been no significant drug breakthroughs in decades.
A young father is among the Scots backing the drive for more research.
Barry Moran, from Glenachulish in the Highlands, was 39 when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. The married father-of-two has continued to work as a chef offshore on the rigs where he serves up meals for 150 staff during gruelling 12-hour shifts.
Mr Moran said: "My medication does make a difference but doesn’t completely. More worrying is the effect my Parkinson’s is having on my ability to think as clearly as I used to be able to. I’ve run half marathons and the like in the past and I’m going to keep on doing that as there’s no doubt exercise makes a huge difference to my ability to deal with the condition. But I do notice that my right leg and foot feel heavy, numb and weak at times and that makes running difficult.
“My work is demanding but my employers have been terrifically supportive and understanding. They recognise that my Parkinson’s means I have good days and bad days. My biggest fear is that the symptoms progress to the point where my mobility becomes limited and I’m a burden to my family. Better treatments are one thing but what we really need is a cure for this frightening condition.”
Charity Parkinson's UK said patients have been left with "severely limited treatment options" as the main drug prescribed for Parkinson's - levodopa - has not changed since the 1960s and no current medication is able to slow or stop the spread of the incurable and degenerative condition, which affects around 11,000 people in Scotland. Levodopa can only mask symptoms, such as tremors. Other symptoms include bowel and bladder problems, anxiety, insomnia and nightmares.
The charity has issued a plea for more investment in scientific research as it launches the ‘We Won’t Wait’ fundraising campaign to raise cash which it hopes will help pioneer new treatments. It comes 200 years after the condition was first recognised by London-based physician James Parkinson in his seminal ‘Essay on the Shaking Palsy’.
Katherine Crawford, Scotland Director of Parkinson’s UK said: “Two hundred years after the condition was first identified, people with Parkinson’s in Scotland are still waiting for an effective treatment that tackles the condition head on.
“It’s been more than 50 years since the last major drug breakthrough but Parkinson’s can still leave people struggling to do the simple things that most of us take for granted. That’s just not good enough for the 11,000 people in Scotland with the condition, so today we say we won’t wait any longer. That’s why Parkinson’s UK is harnessing the expertise of the research community and the support of those living with Parkinson’s to spearhead a new drive to deliver better treatments and a cure faster.
“But we can’t do this alone. That’s why we’re urgently asking people to donate whatever they can to support our vital research. We won’t stand by and let Parkinson’s treatments fall further behind.”
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