Every year, on 11 April, we celebrate this day to raise awareness about the disease. At Leeds Teaching Hospitals, we celebrate the day by raise awareness about Parkinson’s Disease and its impact on patients and their families. We share knowledge and awareness about Parkinson’s disease, available treatments, and best practices in managing the disease to improve the lives of people living with Parkinson’s.
The Parkinson’s Research team at Leeds General Infirmary Hospital is led by myself – Prisca Mpofu and three neurologists: Dr Stephen Butterworth, Dr Jeremy Cosgrove, and Dr Stefan Williams. Currently, Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust is involved in a research trial called PD Frontline, an online study that aims to empower people with Parkinson’s disease by involving them in research. This study provides individuals with an active role in their healthcare journey, fostering hope and optimism for the future of Parkinson’s research.
Many of the drugs developed for Parkinson’s are targeted at specific genes that influence disease progression. Therefore, it is crucial to identify people with gene changes and enrol them in drug trials that test if these drugs work. The PD Frontline research trial allows people with Parkinson’s disease to undertake genetic testing, a key step in potentially making them eligible for these drug trials. This advancement in research is a significant step forward in our understanding and treatment of Parkinson’s.
To take part in PD Frontline you must:
- Have a current diagnosis of Parkinson’s
- Live in the UK
- Be 18 – 90 years old
- Have no diagnosis of another neurological disorder (dementia or progressive supranuclear palsy)
For more information visit the PD frontline website.
We aim to assist our patients by identifying ways of diagnosing in people living with Parkinson’s disease at the earliest possible stage. This will help us develop new treatments that can potentially cure the disease in the future.