Parkinson’s-Brain Surgery

              The province’s decision to double the number of specialized surgeries for patients with severe Parkinson’s disease is being called a quantum leap forward. Health Minister Adrian Dix says funding will be provided this year for 72 deep brain stimulation surgeries that can help alleviate symptoms of the disease — up from 36 last year. Dix also says a second specialist will be recruited to help perform the procedure, which is done while the patient is awake to target specific areas of the brain. Doctor Chris Honey, the only neurosurgeon currently performing the surgery in B-C, says it’s incredibly tough on patients but is essentially an overnight success that was 20 years in the making.