Essential Tremor Awareness Day - Bristol

23rd February, 10:30am–3:30pm
Engineer’s House, The Promenade, Clifton Down, Clifton, Avon, Bristol BS8 3NB

Come join us with Insightec and Abbott at Engineer’s House on the edge of the Clifton Downs in Bristol, for the opportunity to learn about what Essential Tremor is and how it can be managed and treated.

Hear from expert clinicians, specialist in the field, as well as how the National Tremor Foundation can provide support and help.

Talk with others on the “Carousel of Chat”!

Doors open 10:30.  Lunch will be provided.

Pre-registered entry only.

Agenda

 
The “Carousel of Chat” has five stations, each with a conversation topic and facilitator.  The delegates will be split into five groups (please stay in your groups and when the Carousel “turns” move together!) The Carousel will “turn” every 25 minutes so you will each get the same time at each station.

Station topics and facilitators:

• What is Essential Tremor and its treatments?- Dr Mihaela Boca and Miss Reiko Ashida

• What’s it like to be treated with Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS?)- Chris and Sue Kendall

• What’s it like to be treated with Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)?- Dennis Twigg

• The NTF and its support groups - Sheelagh Wurr and Pheobe Dann

• Balance Workshop - Karen Hull

Speaker biographies

Dr Mihaela Boca is a Consultant Neurologist with a specialist interest in Movement Disorders.  In her doctoral research, Mihaela investigated the neural correlates of continuous motor control using a behavioural paradigm and intracranial local field potential recordings. Mihaela’s research background includes a clinical research fellowship at the Brain Centre where she worked on the Glial cell derived neurotrophic factor trial. Mihaela joined North Bristol Trust as a Consultant in 2020 and her clinical interests include Advanced Therapies for Movement Disorders, Deep Brain Stimulation and Dystonia. In 2020, Mihaela set up the first regional Complex Dystonia clinic.

Miss Reiko Ashida is a Consultant Functional Neurosurgeon, and became the first female consultant neurosurgeon in Bristol, when she was appointed by North Bristol NHS Trust in 2020.  Reiko works very closely with Mihaela in the Movement Disorders Team at The Brain Centre in Bristol and provides surgical therapies for Essential Tremor patients when severe enough to require non-pharmacological therapies.  She has been providing Deep Brain Stimulation for many years and has a keen interest in MR Guided Focused Ultrasound.

Karen Hull is an Independent Specialist Neuro Physiotherapist with a special interest in movement disorders like Essential Tremor. She is a member of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.  Karen is also an Honorary Research Fellow at the Academic Unit for Ageing and Stroke Research in Bradford working on a number of projects funded by The Chartered Society of Physiotherapists.