Dystonia Canada News

Michelle Gamage, 24 hours Vancouver -When the Order of Canada organizers called to ask if he would accept the Governor General’s 2013 Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award, Andrew Dawes thought they had him confused with another person.But there was no mistake. Despite developing focal dystonia, also known as writer’s cramp, in 2006 – which quickly ended his 59 years of performing – the renowned violinist’s years of teaching and 3,000 performances were enough to win him the award.

Parliament of Canada - March is Brain Awareness Month. To kick-off the Month, Kirsty Duncan, MP, read the following statement read in the House on Mar. 1, 2013: 

WENCY LEUNG - The Globe & Mail - Kylee Taylor was distraught. For nearly two years, her teenage son, Kieran Porter, had seen multiple doctors and undergone countless medical tests, but none provided an answer for his alarming and mysterious illness.

By: Heidi Ulrichsen - Sudbury Northern Life Staff - For most of his life, Dwayne Backer has lived with dystonia. For him, that means debilitating muscle spasms and poor fine motor control, preventing him from performing day-to-day tasks such as shaving his own face or writing a grocery list. More

TORONTO - Matthew Sheppard drew attention to dystonia Thursday by offering to help Mayor Rob Ford in his workout regime.

The 13-year-old who suffers from myoclonus dystonia came to City Hall with his mom Cathy and former city councillor Bill Saundercook. Together they invited Ford to take part in the Freedom to Move/Chuck’s 5 km Run/Walk for Dystonia taking place in High Park on June 3. More

A trailblazing Toronto family and their courageous brother are honoured by the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation Canada. To honour a courageous individual and his trailblazing Toronto family, the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation Canada (DMRF Canada) announced today its 2012 Freedom to Move 5 km Run/Walk will be called “Chuck’s Run” in memory of Chuck Saundercook who died from Dystonia-related complications in 1978 at the age of 17.

JAMES R. OESTREICH - New York Times - Just because you’re a hypochondriac, to paraphrase Joseph Heller’s wry comment on paranoia, doesn’t mean you aren’t sick. And the brilliant Canadian pianist Glenn Gould was, in a phrase uttered at a medical conference over the weekend, “a world-class hypochondriac.” He was also a perfectionist, easily frustrated.

Researchers Identify Gene Associated with Primary Cervical Dystonia

The Globe and Mail - Adriana Barton - Matthew Sheppard can spend hours playing the video gam Minecraft, but he has trouble pouring water into a glass.  Like other 13 year old boys, he loves hurtling through nature on an ATV.  But when a waitress asks for his order,he blinks uncontrollably and shakes all over.  Matthew has dystonia, a movement disorder that casused involuntary muscle contractions and spasms. More

By Matt Day, The Chronicle-Fran Porter came to Dunnville five years ago and always heard about the Dystonia Buskerfest which was held each year in the Sobeys foyer, but she never had the opportunity to go. More