Brain Donor Appeal supported by nearly half of Scottish Parliament
27 April 2009
Nearly half of the Scottish Parliament's 129 members
(MSPs) have pledged their support for the Parkinson's Brain Donor Appeal, which aims to
double the number of people signed up to donate their brains for
research into the condition.
59 MSPs gathered to pose for a series of photos to help
raise publicity in Scotland for the appeal.
Members of the Scottish Parliament supporting the
Parkinson's Brain Donor Appeal
Marlyn Glen MSP (North East Scotland), who hosted the photo
event, was joined by Nicola Sturgeon MSP, Deputy First
Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health. Also photographed were
Iain Gray MSP, Scottish Labour Leader and Annabel Goldie MSP,
Leader of the Scottish Conservatives. Other senior figures included
two Cabinet Secretaries, and a deputy Presiding Officer.
To date, only 99 people from across Scotland have registered to
donate their brains to the Parkinson's Brain Bank. But at least two
MSPs have now added their names to the register - Marlyn Glen
MSP and James Kelly MSP (Glasgow Rutherglen).
Marlyn Glen MSP also lodged a Scottish Parliament Early Day Motion during last
week's Parkinson's Awareness Week.
The Early Day Motion has attracted 41 signatures to date.
Marlyn said:
"People already are happy to donate their organs for
transplantation but the Brain Bank would help research into
Parkinson's and I personally know how important that is for so many
people.
"The more people who donate their brains to this research, the
greater the prospect that further significant treatment for
Parkinson's can be discovered."
James Kelly MSP said:
"The lessons learned from research can be absolutely critical in
improving future treatment of people with Parkinson's. For
that reason, I am
personally supporting the Brain Donor Appeal as it will provide
hope to many families affected by Parkinson's."
Andrew Sim, PDS Scotland Manager said:
"We are absolutely delighted to see so many MSPs getting behind
the Brain Donor Appeal, and particularly to Marlyn and James for
pledging their brains for research into Parkinson's. This is a real
gift of hope for the 10,000 Scots with Parkinson's, and millions of
people worldwide."
Anyone can sign up for the Parkinson's Brain Donor
Register
Request a Parkinson's Brain Donor
Register information pack. This contains detailed information
for you and your relatives as well as consent forms and medical
information sheets.
You can also request an information pack by phone on 0808 800
0303 or email pdbank@imperial.ac.uk
For more information, visit our Parkinson's Brain Bank pages.
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