Parkinson’s disease patients invited to support research

Patients with Parkinson’s disease from across the Westcountry can now easily get involved with research to combat the condition, thanks to a new way to sign-up on the South West Dementias and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Network (DeNDRoN) website.

The South West Parkinson’s Register has been developed by DeNDRoN in association with clinical research teams specialising in Parkinson’s disease from Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry.

By logging on at www.dendron.nihr.ac.uk/south-west/parkinsons-register-2/, patients can choose to join the PRO-DeNDRoN Register, the Parkinson’s UK Research Support Network, or both.

When patients join the South West PRO-DeNDRoN Register they receive a newsletter each year telling them about all the related research carried out in the South West. DeNDRoN uses the register to recruit quickly to research studies and to keep patients informed about those studies. Doctors can also use the register to give their patients information about research opportunities.

Those who join the Parkinson’s UK Research Support Network will receive emails about the latest research events organised by Parkinson’s UK, invitations to take part in research studies, hot topics for discussion on the Parkinson’s UK forum, how to help make decisions about which research is funded, and working alongside researchers to help develop research projects.

The South West register is open to patients with Parkinson’s disease in Gloucestershire, Bristol, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.

Dr. Camille Carroll, Joint Parkinson’s Disease Research Director for South West DeNDRoN at Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, said: “Parkinson’s disease affects 127,000 people in the UK and according to Parkinson’s UK, that figure will increase by nearly 30 per cent by 2020. As researchers into the disease our work is all about a better understanding of the condition so that we can develop therapies and solutions to ameliorate the effects of the disease, slow down its development and find ways to reduce the number of people affected by it. We can only do this with the support of people with Parkinson’s disease, which is why we encourage everyone in the region with the condition to join the register and do their bit to help us with our work.”

Plymouth is set to become the country’s first dementia friendly university, furthering its commitment to improving the lives of those affected by the condition. A strategy is now being implemented which is designed to make staff and students more aware of the condition and the needs of those with it. This will initially involve specialist training being provided for managers and front line staff, with ways to make the University campus dementia friendly also being considered.