Imagine not being able to hold a drink without your hand shaking. Or finding it difficult to hold a pen or use your smart phone. People living with essential tremor have to face this every day, with even the simplest tasks becoming almost impossible.

Essential tremor is a shake of a part of the body that cannot be controlled, caused by faulty neural circuits within the base of the brain. There are many different causes of severe tremor and it can affect the hands, head or body. Over 250,000 people suffer with essential tremor in Britain. This includes my father and I am also showing early signs of the condition.

Until now, common treatments have included drug therapies, surgery and deep brain stimulation.

However, clinical researchers at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust have recently pioneered the use of a technique that allows magnetic
resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) to be used in the brain to treat, and practically cure, this condition.

Imperial Health Charity helps our hospitals do more through grants, arts, volunteering and fundraising. We fund major redevelopments, clinical research and medical equipment as well as helping patients and their families at times of extreme financial difficulty. We raise funds to support the five hospitals of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust: Charing Cross, Hammersmith, Queen Charlotte's & Chelsea, St Mary and Western Eye hospitals.