Five years ago Mike Brown was a busy, active, healthy 71 year old. He played golf and bowls and belonged to several clubs and organizations, and was an active member of his local church. And then...

His speech became slurred. Some people thought he was drunk and other thought that his dentures (which he doesn't have) did not fit. Then he started to lose his balance, and walking became a shuffle. His vision worsened, he became irritable and lost empathy for those around him.

After three and a half years of tests and scans and "maybe it's this, or maybe it's that," the referral to an eminent research consultant in Cambridge and many more detailed cognitive tests, it was revealed that Mike has PSP.

What is PSP?

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy is a debilitating progressive neurological condition caused by the premature loss of nerve cells in certain parts of the brain, for which there is no cure or treatment, and leaves the sufferer with difficulties of 

• balance, 
• movement, 
• double or tunnel vision, 
• speech, and 
• swallowing.
  

Research suggests that about 4,000 people in the UK and about 20,000 people in the USA are living with PSP at any one time. It is difficult to diagnose and in its early stages can be mistaken for Parkinsons, Alzheimers, Stroke, Multiple System Atrophy, or other Motor Neuron Diseases. Life expectancy is approximately 7 years from onset.

Mike has already participated in two research projects with the UK PSP Research Network and is currently involved in a third. These projects are unlikely to help him directly, but his involvement helps research into this insidious and little known condition to help find a cause, treatment and cure, which will help others in the future.

Mike and Barbara Brown are hosting a local tea party on October 31 from 10am to 3pm. In addition to helping fund research, for every $4,000 raised a tree will be planted in Mike's name on Woodland Trust property. To help make their event a fund-raising success, you can make a donation through this page.

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