‘Dose of Hope’ for Parkinson’s patients
January 1, 2011 •
What is it like to live with Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative neurological disorder? Where do patients and their families turn for the latest treatment options, compassionate care, and a sense of hope for the future?
The 30-minute documentary “Parkinson’s Disease: A Dose of Hope,” premiering nationally on Jan. 24 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) on University of California Television (UCTV), seeks answers through the heartfelt stories of patients with Parkinson’s disease and interviews with leading medical experts from UC San Francisco’s renowned Parkinson’s Disease Clinic and Research Center. Additional resources, including streaming video and podcast downloads, are available at www.uctv.tv/parkinsons.
The UCTV-produced documentary explores the Center’s inroads into the diagnosis and multidisciplinary treatment of Parkinson’s through the eyes of its medical experts and patients, giving us a comprehensive introduction to this complex, degenerative neurological disease that manifests in many different ways, often making it difficult to recognize.
Complementing the documentary is “Parkinson’s Disease: Latest From the Experts,” an hour-long briefing aimed at general practitioners and other health care providers, patients, and anyone else interested in an accessible but in-depth overview of the latest advances and insights into the disease. The program premieres Jan. 27 at noon (PT) and is also available online at www.uctv.tv/parkinsons.
“Over the course of my career, I’ve seen tremendous progress in our understanding of the nature of Parkinson’s disease, and advances in its treatment,” said Dr. Michael Aminoff, director of the UCSF’s Parkinson’s Disease Clinic and Research Center and professor of neurology at UCSF’s School of Medicine, who is also prominently featured in the program. This documentary sheds light on these advances and, continued Aminoff, “points to an even brighter future with gene therapy and other innovative multidisciplinary treatment strategies. These are truly exciting — and hopeful — times.”
[Related coverage: UCTV blog interview with UCSF’s Michael Aminoff]
Designated as a National Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence since 1992, the Parkinson’s Disease Clinic and Research Center in the Department of Neurology at UC San Francisco, utilizes a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach to patient care. The Center provides a wide variety of services including outreach, education, research opportunities, and clinical and surgical services. More information is available at pdcenter.neurology.ucsf.edu.
