To the editor:

I have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease for 16 years. I would encourage the media to educate the public about the need for research which will more accurately diagnose Parkinson's-related illnesses.

In the 16 years since my initial diagnosis, I have been told I have: Parkinson's disease, Ataxia, dopamine responsive dystonia, and that my symptoms may be psychologically induced due to delayed stress syndrome from abuse I underwent as a child.

As a result, I have had to push very hard to use the most current available diagnostic tools to confirm my diagnosis which include flying to New York to have a floradopamine scan and to have a Parkin 2 gene test performed which showed two mutations in my Parkin 2 genes.

Parkinson's Disease is a blanket name that covers many diseases with damage in the substantia niagra area of the brain. I am a very rare person in that I can specifically name my illness as Young Onset Parkinson's Disease, which has very specific symptoms which are not the same as the more generic diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. This information makes it easier for my neurologist to determine the most effective course of treatment to improve my quality of life.

In the rush to fund stem cell research, the patients who have been suffering this disease have been forced to live a lower quality of life; constantly in limbo wondering if they really have Parkinson's disease. They are all blanketed under a generic label and treated the same.

The field of genetics has been growing by leaps and bounds. It is a area of research which has had a immediate and positive effect in my live and in the lives of my family and friends who have watched me struggle with this illness.

Vicky Lynn
Rosemount

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