Congratulations to Occupational Therapist Alex Fisher who has received a prestigious award from the Huntington’s Disease Association (HDA).
Recognised at this year’s HDA awards ceremony, Alex scooped the first ever Health & Social Care award for her skills and expertise, shared through a number of webinars and community events and the contribution she has made to written information about the disease.
Alex has worked as part of our Neuropsychiatry team for the last six years and has a passion for working with people with Huntington’s Disease (HD), Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) and neuropsychiatric conditions.
Huntington's disease is an inherited condition that stops parts of the brain working and gradually gets worse over time. Early signs and symptoms may include irritability, depression, small involuntary movements, poor coordination, and trouble learning new information or making decisions. People with this disorder also experience changes in personality and a decline in thinking and reasoning abilities. Individuals with the adult-onset form of Huntington disease usually live about 15 to 20 years after signs and symptoms begin.
Our HD team within the Trust looks after approximately 400 people and their companions throughout the West Midlands and beyond. The HD pathway usually commences after a referral from genetics or another medical practitioner such as a neurologist. Patients are seen in clinic, at home or in nursing care.
Speaking about the award, Alex who has been an Occupational Therapist for the last 20 years, said:
“This award is a real honour and while it’s really special, it isn’t just for me, it’s for our whole team - we do a great job. I feel very lucky to do what I do, and I see it as a real privilege when people let me into their lives and trust me to look after them.”
In addition to her work at BSMHFT, Alex is also studying for her PhD in social cognition in Huntington’s Disease and has been made an Honorary Clinical Lecturer on the MSc Neuropsychiatry Course, run by the University of Birmingham (UOB).
Next month Alex will represent BSMHFT at the 2nd Latin American Conference on HD in Colombia. There she will see families and their living conditions first-hand and talk about the importance of access to therapeutic treatment.
