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More Than Half Of Adults In North West Of England Wrongly Believe Available Parkinson’s Treatments Can Halt Or Slow The Condition

●Current treatments only mask the symptoms of the condition, which affects 145,000 people in the UK, including 15,256 people in the North West of England
●The charity Parkinson’s UK said public misconceptions are ‘really worrying and and could hold back progress towards finding a cure’
●Charity is urging the public to help fund research breakthroughs to find better treatments and a cure now, as part of their ‘Time for Can’ campaign

Parkinson’s UK is calling for people to continue to fund vital research breakthroughs after a survey revealed massive misconceptions around what current treatments can do for 145,000 people living with Parkinson’s in the UK.

New figures released today (Monday 29 November) show that more than half of adults in North West of England (54 per cent) incorrectly think there are Parkinson’s treatments available which can halt or slow the progression of the condition. The reality is that there is currently no cure for the condition and current treatments only mask the symptoms.

Parkinson’s UK, Europe’s largest charitable funder of Parkinson’s research, is appealing for the public to support it’s ‘Time for Can’ campaign, which shows the reality of living with Parkinson's and the researchers working towards better treatments and a cure - driven by people’s needs and powered by supporters. The campaign is focused on increasing the public’s understanding of Parkinson’s while highlighting the urgent need for donations.

Dr Beckie Port

Dr Beckie Port, Research Communications Manager at Parkinson’s UK, said:
“Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world and at the moment, there is no way to stop, slow or reverse it. Yet this survey shows that in the North West of England there is a public misconception that we already have the treatments needed to stop the condition in its tracks.

“This is really worrying and could hold back progress towards finding a cure. In fact, as Parkinson’s progresses, higher medication doses are needed to manage its symptoms. This in turn increases side effects, which can be incredibly distressing. For some, medications may successfully manage symptoms for five years or more, but for other people, progression may be much faster.

“Every hour, two more people in the UK find out they have Parkinson’s. Anyone can get it, young or old and it is a serious condition. That’s why we need to drive forward promising research. People with Parkinson’s urgently need better treatments and a cure now, but this can only happen with the support of the public in the North West. With everyone's help, we can discover new treatments and find new therapies to improve the lives of people with Parkinson’s.”

“Better treatments can’t wait”

The UK-wide survey of 2,000 adults also found that more than two-thirds (70 per cent) of adults in the North West of England are unaware of how many symptoms exist for Parkinson’s.

With more than 40 potential symptoms such as lack of sleep, anxiety and stiffness, everyone’s experience of Parkinson’s is different. These symptoms are always there and can impact everyday tasks, leading to ‘can’ts.’ It can have an impact on tasks, such as tying shoelaces, buttering bread to playing with your kids. People may find themselves unable to keep their job, drive and leave their house. The longer a person has Parkinson’s, the harder it gets, which is why better treatments are needed now.

“Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world and at the moment, there is no way to stop, slow or reverse it.

Parkinson’s advocate Matt Eagles, 52, from Northwich was diagnosed with Parkinson’s when he was only seven years old. He features in the 30 second and 10 second TV advert for the campaign to highlight his story around how his symptoms make it difficult for him to eat. He estimates he’s taken over 228,000 tablets in his lifetime. Without his medication Matt struggles with balance and rigidity, but some of the medication he takes causes dyskinesia, meaning his body uncontrollable jerks and twitches.

Matt says:
“Sometimes it looks like I’m sitting auditioning for Riverdance. I know it looks funny and I don’t mind laughing about it. It helps me cope. But sometimes the twitches can be pretty violent. Last summer, I ripped one of the muscles in my back which was extremely painful. Being able to take something that could give me back control of my body would be a game changer.”

After having deep brain stimulation surgery (DBS), Matt knows what a difference new treatments can make. DBS is an invasive and expensive procedure that can be offered to people whose Parkinson’s symptoms are no longer controlled well by the best available medication for their condition. It doesn’t work for everyone, but for Matt, it has been life-changing.

He says:
“It has made a huge difference to my quality of life. Now I can turn over in bed at night and I can get up and go to the bathroom. It might not seem like much, but these things were a real struggle in the past.”

To find out more and donate now to find a cure for Parkinson’s, visit https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/donate