Quality care offered close to home this World Parkinson’s Day
A Cairns woman is feeling more herself than she has for two decades following a brain procedure to treat Parkinson’s Disease, and is encouraging other sufferers to consider following suit this World Parkinson’s Day, Tuesday 11 April.
Lorraine Bayliss was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease 23 years ago and has watched her symptoms escalate in recent years.
One of my first noticeable symptoms was the toes on my left foot curling up while I was walking, and soon my fingers did the same – I was a typist at the time, and I became increasingly slow at tasks like that and would have to straighten out my fingers one by one, it all became painful.Lorraine Bayliss
“I actually retired from my receptionist job on 28 February this year – and then underwent Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) on 10 March.”
Mater Private Hospital Townsville neurosurgeon Dr Craig Costello trained and collaborated with leading specialists Professor Matt McDonald and Professor Rob Wilcox in Adelaide to bring the evidence-based standard of care, Deep Brain Stimulation, to North Queensland communities. DBS was previously only available in capital cities.
Mater Private Hospital Townsville neurosurgeon Dr Craig Costello trained and collaborated with leading specialists Professor Matt McDonald and Professor Rob Wilcox in Adelaide to bring the evidence-based standard of care, Deep Brain Stimulation, to North Queensland communities. DBS was previously only available in capital cities.
Dr Costello said DBS was ‘potentially life-changing’ for people struggling with the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease, essential tremor or dystonia, with six North Queenslanders receiving the treatment at Mater Private Hospital Townsville since the procedure was introduced at the start of 2022.
DBS is always on, unlike medication which can wear off or fluctuate and can deliver therapy differently to each side of the body which is vital in Parkinson’s, a disease which affects each side of the body differently.Dr Costello
The procedure involves a team of neurosurgeons, neurologists, anaesthetists and scientists safely inserting electrodes in the patient’s brain to relieve debilitating symptoms.
“All six patients who have undergone DBS in Townsville to date have seen noticeable symptom relief and it is fantastic to be able to assist people like Lorraine achieve improved function and undertake activities that she loves.”
Lorraine, who has videos of herself constantly moving prior to the procedure, said the relief of symptoms was immediately obvious.
From the moment I woke up from the surgery I’ve just been a still person – and that just means the world to me, I still get so emotional when I talk about it.Lorraine Bayliss
“I completed rehabilitation at Mater in Townsville following the procedure and took part in a basket weaving class on Close the Gap Day, six days after surgery – I would never have been able to sit still or create something so intricate beforehand.
“Having Dr Costello and the Mater here means so much, so we don’t have to travel to the south east and we also don’t have to wait to get into the busier healthcare systems in the capital cities.”
Mater Private Hospital Townsville Interim Executive Officer Stephanie Barwick said World Parkinson’s Day was a fantastic opportunity to recognise the world class compassionate care offered in North Queensland.
“Mater’s vision is to empower our communities to live better lives through improved health and wellbeing, and Dr Costello is testament to this with DBS completely changing the quality of life of North Queensland’s Parkinson’s patients,” Ms Barwick said.
