NEWS

Invention of the NextStep® walking aid liberates Parkinson's sufferers from "freezing" episodes.

October 20, 2005 - Raleigh, N.C. - Nine years ago, Mike Tucker's diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, an incurable and debilitating illness that affects the central nervous system failed to elicit the typical reaction - self-pity. Instead, he responded by rallying his entrepreneurial spirit in search of solutions for the host of life altering symptoms Parkinson's patients live with daily.

This former president of a successful security consulting firm, disabled from his disease, set about tinkering in his basement, building tools and devices that would enhance a Parkinson's patient's quality of life. As he always had in the past with a healthy body, Tucker succeeded once again. He created a device that is purported to be no less than "a miraculous breakthrough"* for Parkinson's patients. His invention, the NextStep® , became his mission - to help fellow sufferers find freedom from the disease.

There are over 5,000 Triangle Parkinson's sufferers. And, with over 500,000 Parkinson's stricken Americans, most notably Michael J. Fox and Mohammed Ali, Tucker's invention will significantly improve the quality of life for tens of thousands whose Parkinson's symptoms include "freezing". Freezing is when the natural flow of movement is hampered. It refers to sudden, temporary difficulty initiating or continuing a movement, such as a step. The patient can actually feel as if they are "frozen" to the floor.

"It can be a significant problem," says Tucker. "People with this symptom don't feel comfortable going out in public, because you never know when a freeze will happen. I invented the NextStep® for my own use to free myself of that fear. Now, after using it for 18 months, I feel safe leaving my house. And I want every other Parkinson's shut-in to feel the same sense of independence I do."

Before the NextStep® Parkinson's patients have, over the years, learned "tricks" to help interrupt freezing. One of these is to place a visual target or obstacle in front of the foot that is "stuck" to the floor. For example, someone can place their foot just in front of the patient's "frozen" foot, and suddenly the patient can step over the foot and start walking again.

Unfortunately, these "tricks" are just that - tricks. What Mike Tucker has invented is a medically sound walking aid that consistently breaks a Parkinson's freeze with the use of the visual cue wand - an obstruction that allows the sufferer to take their next step.

The NextStep® walking aid slides over the end of a walking cane and is used like a normal cane. Tucker says that at the stage of Parkinson's when freezing occurs, most sufferers are already using canes. When freezing occurs, the user simply toggles a key and the visual cue wand is set to appear when the cane makes contact with the floor. The wand provides an obstacle to step over, thus beginning the walking process. The wand automatically raises when the cane does and lowers when the cane contacts the floor.

The Parkinson's community, which includes patients, their caregivers, and doctors (typically neurologists) have reacted with intrigue and interest when shown the NextStep.® Dr. Joel Trugman, a renowned neurologist who has researched Parkinson's for decades, worked with Tucker during the development and testing stages of the NextStep.®

"Freezing" is an unusual and poorly understood neurological phenomenon," said Trugman. "It typically occurs when the patient's medication is not performing or has worn off. The condition can occur at any time of the day. Most sufferers have trouble in crowded areas and in small, narrow places."

Dr. Trugman explained that it has been known for many years that patients respond and can start walking if they can step over an object placed in front of them. He states that the NextStep® is a practical solution that will be a significant advance for patients with Parkinson's and other causes of freezing of gait. "It's nothing short of miraculous."

With hundreds of thousands of Parkinson's sufferers potentially benefiting from this device, Tucker took his idea to a successful businessman he knew from church, Scott Dawson, Jr., a successful real estate investor and developer and, as it turns out, visionary entrepreneur. When Dawson saw Tucker experience a freeze, he watched in awe as Tucker's device enabled him to move again. "I knew from the first moment I saw the NextStep® work with Mike that it was going to change thousands of people's lives," Dawson said. "Being independent and free from fear will change lives. I was in."

Tucker and Dawson became partners that day. Dawson supplied the funding and both supplied their time and business savvy to bring the idea to fruition. The NextStep® has been produced, tried, and tested by the Parkinson's community and it's now Tucker's turn to hit the road, demonstrating this life changing device to Parkinson's patients and caregivers at medical conferences, rehabilitation facilities, Parkinson's support groups, "and anywhere else they'll let me talk," laughs the ever enthusiastic inventor.

* Dr. Joel Trugman, Neurologist/Researcher