Dystonia
Support Group - Alabama 
News Articles and Publications
Research and Fundraising
University of Alabama Names First Dystonia Scholars - posted 06/08/08
University of Alabama students John Ricketts and Emily Kay Woods, both from Birmingham, have been named the first Alabama Dystonia Scholars.
Ricketts and Woods work with Drs. Guy and Kim Caldwell in UA’s biological sciences department. They have been awarded a $20,000 research scholarship that will allow them to conduct extensive research on Dystonia, a neurological movement disorder, for the summers of 2008 and 2009.
Click here to read the entire press release
The Communicative Participation Research Project - Spasmodic Dysphonia Study - posted 12/02/06 - Here's an excerpt:
Participants will be asked to complete three questionnaires that ask about the impact of SD on their life activities. They will also be asked to complete one questionnaire providing background information about themselves and their SD history. The questionnaires are available online, and we encourage participants to use the online option. If participants do not have easy access to a computer and internet, we can mail them a paper version of the questionnaire and we will provide a return stamped envelope.
We anticipate that it will take participants about 60 minutes to complete the questionnaires. Participants can complete the questionnaires where and when they choose, although we encourage them to complete them within one week of enrolling in the study. Participation is voluntary.
This is your chance to participate from your home in an important research project about Spasmodic Dysphonia. Click on the link above for more information.
Dr. Mark LeDoux visited our Support Group in February 2006. Many of us chose to participate in a Research Study he is directing regarding genetic markers for Dystonia.
Clinical Trials are continuously being conducted for new treatment options and ways to find find the cause of Dystonia.
The links here will take you to information regarding those trials:
Clinical Trials: Dystonia - National Institutes of Health
Clinical Trials: Cervical Dystonia - National Institutes of Health
Grants and Funding for Research
The Bachmann Strauss Dystonia-Parkinson's Foundation awards 2006 grants - posted 11/14/06
Raising funds for research is a necessary task if we are to find a cure and better treatments for Dystonia.
Click here for a sample letter you can send to family and friends to help raise awareness and funds for Dystonia research.
Click here to read How Far Will $500 in Donations to DSG-Alabama Go?
Please send donations to: If you would like it to go to the DMRF,
please mark your donation accordingly. Our Support Group here in Alabama has many expenses as well, and
your generosity is appreciated. If you would like your
donation to be used for our work here in Alabama, please mark your
donation accordingly.
During 2007 To DMRF and other for medical research - $12,050 At the end of 2006, we had raised $29,490 for Medical Research over $4,500 on AWARENESS projects; i.e. Health Fair
Booth, Library Bookmark projects, Awareness Week
activities, Doctors Awareness Kits, and this website Much of our Awareness expenditures were materially
reduced with "gifts-in-kind"; i.e. printers discounting bills,
Staples discounting supplies, Web Site designer donating her
services, companies donating postage, and other generous
donations of time and talents.
For awareness activities - $4,200