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Michael Campbell, a Belfast-based actor acclaimed for his portrayal of Richard III in a wheelchair, is currently participating in a clinical trial for a new drug aimed at treating Motor Neurone Disease (MND). Diagnosed with this terminal illness in February 2023, the 35-year-old performer has experienced some promising improvements since starting the medication, including regaining partial sensation in his feet. Although there is no cure for MND, which generally shortens life expectancy, treatments are available to help alleviate symptoms.
Reflecting on his progress, Campbell expressed relief and cautious hope. “It was such a relief that the drug is doing something,” he said. “I’m probably still going to die pretty soon, but maybe I’ll get an extra year or two.” His symptoms first appeared about three years ago during a performance at the Dublin Fringe Festival, where he struggled with balance while dancing. Initially, Campbell attributed his difficulties to the shoes he was wearing, but the issues persisted and eventually led to his MND diagnosis. Despite the devastating news, Campbell credits the love and support of his family and friends for helping him cope. His family has also been active in fundraising efforts to secure private care.
Motor Neurone Disease is a progressive neurological disorder that attacks the nerves in the brain and spinal cord responsible for muscle control, causing increasing weakness and significantly reducing life expectancy. Public figures such as rugby players Rob Burrow and Doddie Weir, along with Irish journalist Charlie Bird, have previously helped raise awareness about the disease. Within less than a year of his diagnosis, Campbell found himself confined to a wheelchair and has since experienced further loss of muscle function. He is scheduled to undergo a tracheostomy this month, a surgical procedure to insert an artificial airway, to assist with breathing.
Campbell’s MND has a hereditary component; he and his sister both carry a rare gene mutation known as FUS, which is believed to be responsible for their condition. The clinical trial they are participating in in Dublin specifically targets this gene. After about sixteen months on what appeared to be a placebo, Campbell recently began receiving the active drug, resulting in the ability to move his toes for the first time in over two years. His wife Naomi described the moment as “quite surreal” and “very overwhelming,” emphasizing the hope the trial has brought to their lives. Neurologist Professor Orla Hardiman of Trinity College Dublin, who oversees MND services in Ireland, expressed cautious optimism about the drug’s potential. “When you lose function with motor neurone disease it’s gone, and Michael has experienced a little bit of new movement in his foot,” she said. “That’s giving us a great deal of hope that maybe the drug may be having an effect now.”
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