DENISE BACON WAS DIAGNOSED WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE IN 2014.

THE RETIRED SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPIST FINALLY UNDERWENT WHAT’S CALLED A DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION OPERATION AS PART OF HER TREATMENT RECENTLY.

HER SURGEON HAD A SMALL REQUEST TO HELP TAILOR THE SURGERY FOR HER SPECIFIC NEEDS.

AN AMATEUR MUSICIAN, DENISE PLAYED HER CLARINET DURING HER FOUR HOUR OPERATION, ALLOWING DOCTORS TO WITNESS IMMEDIATE RESULTS.

SHE HAD TO GIVE UP PLAYING THE CLARINET FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN HER SYMPTOMS WORSENED.

THE IMPROVEMENT WAS IMMEDIATE. THE MOVEMENT IN HER FINGERS GOT BETTER, ALLOWING HER TO PLAY THE INSTRUMENT.

SOUNDBITE (English) Keyoumars Ashkan, Professor of Neurosurgery:

"It's an operation whereby we insert electrodes deep inside the brain at very particular target points inside the brain in order to change and correct the abnormal functioning of the brain. Everybody has different aspects to what they consider as key to the quality of life. And if those are impaired, then I try to adjust my surgery or modify it in a way that I can achieve those goals and give the patient what matters to them most."

DENISE RECEIVED A LOCAL ANESTHETIC TO NUMB HER SCALP AND SKULL. SHE FELT NO PAIN AS THE BRAIN ITSELF HAS NO PAIN RECEPTORS.

SOUNDBITE (English) Denise Bacon, 65 year-old patient with Parkinson's disease:

"At first I was quite skeptical that it would be possible to play the clarinet laying on an operating table. But I contacted him nearer the time and said, 'do you really want me to bring my clarinet?' And the message was that yes, he did and he'd be able to test whether it would help me."

WHILE PARKINSON'S DISEASE IS A PROGRESSIVE DISORDER THAT WORSENS OVER TIME, THE SURGERY SHOULD PROVIDE SYMPTOM RELIEF FOR YEARS TO COME.

FOR DENISE, WHO JUST BEFORE SURGERY WAS HARDLY ABLE TO MOVE ACROSS HER KITCHEN WHEN PREPARING A MEAL, THE IMPACT WAS IMMEDIATE.

SOUNDBITE (English) Denise Bacon, 65 year-old patient with Parkinson's disease:

"I can walk normally. I was walking normally straight after the surgery. And and life's just opened up again. It feels like there's a future."