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Bangalore-based Rashmi Vasudeva's journalism has appeared in many Indian and international publications over the past decade. A features writer with over nine years of experience heading a health and fitness supplement in a mainstream Indian newspaper, her niche areas include health, wellness, fitness, food, nutrition and Indian classical Arts.
Her articles have appeared in various publications including Mint-Wall Street Journal, The Hindu, Deccan Herald (mainstream South Indian newspaper), Smart Life (Health magazine from the Malayala Manorama Group of publications), YourStory (India's media technology platform for entrepreneurs), Avantika (a noir arts and theatre magazine), ZDF (a German public broadcasting company) and others.
In 2006, she was awarded the British Print-Chevening scholarship to pursue a short-term course in new-age journalism at the University of Westminster, U.K. With a double Masters in Globalisation and Media Studies from Aarhus Universitet (Denmark), University of Amsterdam and Swansea University in Wales, U.K., she has also dabbled in academics, travel writing and socio-cultural studies. Mother to a frisky toddler, she hums 'wheels on the bus' while working and keeps a beady eye on the aforementioned toddler's antics.
On World Parkinson's Day, A Glimmer Of Hope For The Disease With No Cure
In a span of three years, my grandfather went from being a sprightly, dessert-loving, energetic and articulate man to a weak, shaky and defeated being, unable to talk, walk or sleep without help. Today, on World Parkinson's Day, it is apt to remember him and countless others afflicted by this cruel disease that takes away a piece of you each day, every day.
Just a few days ago, Parkinson's UK launched a worldwide appeal for more funds to find a cure – a hunt that has seen little progress in the last half century. Their research showed widespread ignorance about this degenerative condition and wrong suppositions that it could somehow be prevented – it cannot be. The harsh truth is there is no known cure and there are no treatments yet even to slow its progression. A double whammy, really.
Which is why this article appears like a beacon. Written by a PWPD (Person With Parkinson's Disease), this is not a personal narrative but an erudite and comprehensive look at the current state of research on its causes, the possible breakthroughs in therapy in the near future and what patients could expect a few years down the line. What is known for sure is that the accumulation of a protein called alpha-synuclein causes neurons to die in people with PD. But there are many theories about how the protein actually builds up.
The author believes we are indeed entering a new era in treatment because of:
a. a revolution in genetics that is helping scientists better understand its causes
b. vastly improved imaging techniques that will show doctors what is going on inside the brains of patients
c. ongoing collaborations such as the European Human Brain Project and the U.S. Brain Initiative that aim to provide extraordinary understanding of the brain's physiology.
In support of his argument is also the recent discovery by scientists in Sweden that offers a new method to replace cells lost in Parkinson's. This could be a possible way to reduce symptoms and a path to that elusive cure.
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A very informative article on Parkinson.I hope some positive remedy happens for this disease.