Advocating for Neuro ProActive has provided many introductions to numerous neuro visionaries.
For example, my response to a recent LinkedIn message from the national charity Spotlight YOPD, representing those with Young Onset Parkinson’s, saw CEO Gaynor Edwards pop in for a socially distanced cuppa. She brought fellow YOPDer and former neuroscientist Dr Jon Stamford with her.
Therefore, since I am always keen to talk to the best brains in the sector I was happy to host – they brought cake to make the meeting all the sweeter. Rapidly, I discovered that young ‘strokies’ and young ‘Parkies’ have a lot in common – the conversation was easy and animated.
In both cases we were living with conditions more commonly associated with the elderly than those in midlife – as the three of us are.
Sitting round the kitchen table we all had hope – and a belief that as advocates for our conditions we could and would make a difference. As the generation of personal computers and mobile phones, we will probably be using AI to make some of that difference. Three smartphones sat alongside the mugs of tea and cake plates on the table.
Health technology apps like Neuro ProActive in the hands of the right people – those impacted neurologically – is a potential game changer.
I was fascinated to hear from them about how much they feel an affinity with young stroke survivors, like me.
Three reasons for affinity between stroke survivors and YOPD
1. We defy expectations
Most importantly, both groups, ‘Strokies’ and ‘Parkies’ face a shared challenge in that our conditions are popularly associated with elderly patients not mid-life people, like us.
2. Digitally capable
Thanks to our relative youthfulness, we are a tech savvy patient community and have the confidence to ask questions and demand attention from medics and peers.
Both our charities, West Kent Different Strokes Peer Support Group and Spotlight YOPD are so excited about the roll-out of Neuro ProActive nationally and internationally. We both support cohorts of young patients who will welcome the opportunity to have some agency in their treatment programme by being empowered to self-manage their condition digitally.
3. Multi-disciplinary teams
Despite the clear difference between stroke rehab’s management of rehabilitation and YOPD’s need to manage its degenerative symptoms, both groups share the need of input from a range of AHPs.
Access to neuroproactive.com will give us an easy platform to reach those practitioners with whom we will be able to communicate, record progress and set goals in one place.
The identification of these three similarities between stroke survivors and YOPD reminded me of this quotation from Shakespeare: “Misery acquaints a man with strange bed-fellows”.( Tempest Act 2, scene ii).
Neither group feels miserable. By contrast, we feel excited. We are happy to promote the possibilities for improved care for our conditions in future.
I have discovered a new empathy for those who are diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease, and those who remain undiagnosed. It is significant that reliable data is hard to find for this condition.
It is a game-changer for Neuro ProActive that Ian Pearce tweeted news in December 2021:
Delighted to announce that, following a public tender, @NeuroProActive will be adopted by the South Wales Trauma Network. This will involve integration with EPRs and an independent research study on 500+ patients funded by The World Economic Forum.
Value Based Healthcare Wales. Likewise the news of its adoption by Leeds Children’s Hospital.
More patients and data will deliver better outcomes for all neurological conditions, which like Shakespeare’s themes can apply to any age. Strokies and Parkies feel old and young simultaneously.
Therefore, we feel like time-travellers.
You can get your own glimpse of the future by visiting www.NeuroProActive.com
And follow @neuroproactive on Twitter for the latest news.
