DAMIEN Grath's life has been transformed by a breakthrough new drug to treat Parkinson's. Incredible footage shows the 52-year-old before and after infusion therapy Produodopa - and the difference is "massive". "It’s been extraordinary and life-changing," he said.
"Just shortly after first having the treatment I was able to make a cup of coffee more easily and go to the supermarket without throwing eggs all over the aisles." Damien, from Derby, was diagnosed with Parkinson's - a progressive neurological condition - 12 years ago. It causes involuntary shaking, slow movement and muscle stiffness, as well as balance problems, a reduced sense of smell, and insomnia, according to the NHS.
Damien's symptoms have steadily worsened over the last decade, making it increasingly difficult to carry out day-to-day tasks. He had been taking four separate oral drugs six times a day to control the problematic involuntary movements. But Damien was still in considerable pain at night, leaving him unable to sleep or even turn over as the medication wore off.
Last month, he became one of the first people in the UK to undergo new infusion therapy that is administered via a portable pump under the skin. His wife Amanda filmed him before the treatment and just two days afterwards, and the contrast is remarkable. In the first clip, Damien experiences extreme shakes and spasms while walking to his kitchen counter and pouring water from a kettle into a mug.
But in the second, taken 48 hours later, h.