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| MS drug trial helps golfer win again | MS drug trial helps golfer win again |
| (1 day later) | |
| By Richard Warry BBC News website health editor | |
| Tony Johnstone was told he would never play golf again | |
| To win for the first time on the European Golf Seniors Tour would be special for anyone. | |
| But Zimbabwean Tony Johnstone's victory in the Jersey Seniors Classic in June was quite out of the ordinary. | But Zimbabwean Tony Johnstone's victory in the Jersey Seniors Classic in June was quite out of the ordinary. |
| It was not the first time he had won a top-rank tournament - in fact he had a list of victories all over the world. | It was not the first time he had won a top-rank tournament - in fact he had a list of victories all over the world. |
| But it was his first win since being told he would never play golf again after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2004. | But it was his first win since being told he would never play golf again after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2004. |
| Tony is lucky even to be able to swing a golf club, let alone compete at the highest level. | Tony is lucky even to be able to swing a golf club, let alone compete at the highest level. |
| He can thank his participation in trials of a new MS drug, alemtuzumab, for the remarkable turnaround in his fortunes. | He can thank his participation in trials of a new MS drug, alemtuzumab, for the remarkable turnaround in his fortunes. |
| But in 2003, when he first started to develop symptoms, his future looked decidedly bleak. | But in 2003, when he first started to develop symptoms, his future looked decidedly bleak. |
| Feared the worst | Feared the worst |
| "I woke up one Sunday morning and my left hand was numb, I thought I had been lying on it awkwardly," he said. | "I woke up one Sunday morning and my left hand was numb, I thought I had been lying on it awkwardly," he said. |
| I thought I had had a stroke Tony Johnstone Drug may reverse MS damage | I thought I had had a stroke Tony Johnstone Drug may reverse MS damage |
| "As the day went on it progressed up my left arm. My whole left side went completely dead, and I thought I had had a stroke to be honest." | "As the day went on it progressed up my left arm. My whole left side went completely dead, and I thought I had had a stroke to be honest." |
| Tony went to see a neurologist, who suspected he had contracted a viral infection and prescribed steroids. | Tony went to see a neurologist, who suspected he had contracted a viral infection and prescribed steroids. |
| However, within a couple of months Tony's symptoms started to deteriorate. | However, within a couple of months Tony's symptoms started to deteriorate. |
| "Everything went completely haywire. I lost all my energy, my co-ordination went out the window, my memory disintegrated totally," he said. | "Everything went completely haywire. I lost all my energy, my co-ordination went out the window, my memory disintegrated totally," he said. |
| Tony tried to continue to play professional golf, but his symptoms were so problematic that he had to walk off the course several times. | Tony tried to continue to play professional golf, but his symptoms were so problematic that he had to walk off the course several times. |
| He was particularly hard hit during a practice round prior to trying to qualify for the British Open in 2004: "It was like somebody had pulled the plug on me - I could hardly walk." | He was particularly hard hit during a practice round prior to trying to qualify for the British Open in 2004: "It was like somebody had pulled the plug on me - I could hardly walk." |
| An MRI brain scan confirmed that he had MS. | An MRI brain scan confirmed that he had MS. |
| My memory had come back, my co-ordination was improving, and within six months I realised I had been a very lucky boy Tony Johnstone | My memory had come back, my co-ordination was improving, and within six months I realised I had been a very lucky boy Tony Johnstone |
| Fortunately, he was recommended for the alemtuzumab trial, and squeezed in just before it was closed to new patients. At that time the drug was known as campath. | Fortunately, he was recommended for the alemtuzumab trial, and squeezed in just before it was closed to new patients. At that time the drug was known as campath. |
| He received two treatments, a year apart. The first, five-day session effectively shut down his immune system, allowing it to re-boot, without the fault that causes it to attack the nerves, and trigger MS. | He received two treatments, a year apart. The first, five-day session effectively shut down his immune system, allowing it to re-boot, without the fault that causes it to attack the nerves, and trigger MS. |
| The second, three-day session, 12 months later acted as a back-up to ensure the treatment was working. | The second, three-day session, 12 months later acted as a back-up to ensure the treatment was working. |
| "For the first couple of months you feel very tired - it has been likened to the feeling of chemotherapy, they shut down the immune system, and you feel fatigue," said Tony. | "For the first couple of months you feel very tired - it has been likened to the feeling of chemotherapy, they shut down the immune system, and you feel fatigue," said Tony. |
| "But after the first treatment, probably within three months, I realised there was really a vast improvement. | "But after the first treatment, probably within three months, I realised there was really a vast improvement. |
| "My memory had come back, my co-ordination was improving, and within six months I realised I had been a very lucky boy." | "My memory had come back, my co-ordination was improving, and within six months I realised I had been a very lucky boy." |
| However, the road back to professional golf turned out to be long and hard. | However, the road back to professional golf turned out to be long and hard. |
| "I thought it was going to be like riding a bicycle, get back on and carry on again," said Tony. | "I thought it was going to be like riding a bicycle, get back on and carry on again," said Tony. |
| "But I would say it took two years for me to find a way to work around it, by thinking different thoughts, and feeling different feels in the golf swing - but I was pretty determined to get back to competing again." | "But I would say it took two years for me to find a way to work around it, by thinking different thoughts, and feeling different feels in the golf swing - but I was pretty determined to get back to competing again." |
| "There is a way round it if you are determined - with the help of campath, without that I just would not have been able to do it." | "There is a way round it if you are determined - with the help of campath, without that I just would not have been able to do it." |