Major Gift for Parkinson’s Research at Emory by Columbus Couple

In an endeavor to name the Movement Disorders Research Program within Emory University School of Medicine, Jean and Paul Amos of Columbus, Ga., have committed a gift of $4 million. The contribution will be used to commence innovative research and clinical trials, recruit scientists, and train fellows.

For many years, Paul Amos was treated by Mahlon DeLong, MD, William Timmie Professor of Neurology and one of the nation’s foremost experts on Parkinson’s and movement disorders.

DeLong says, “The gift from the Amos family will give us the resources to help support ongoing research and to initiate new research programs for Parkinson’s disease.” He added that “In these difficult times, philanthropic support such as this is absolutely vital for research to continue and to further develop Emory’s Parkinson’s disease program. We are most grateful to the Amos family members for their generous support.”
Jean Amos remarked that “Dr. DeLong has been wonderful and has been on the forefront of everything regarding research and clinical care.”

DeLong and his colleagues’ hopes are reflected in their optimism that this generous contribution will create momentum to build a centre that will be a model of integrated, patient-centered care which in turn will help them realize their longtime goal.

Patients with Parkinson’s and movement disorders will be largely benefited by this model, and it is of particular significance to them because the complex nature of these diseases calls for care and numerous visits from specialists in a wide variety of areas, including neurology, neurosurgery, psychiatry, gastroenterology, urology, sleep disorders, sleep and swallowing, and physical and occupational therapy.

Nearly 12,000 patients with Parkinson’s, atypical Parkinson’s and other movement disorders are cared for by specialists at Emory all through the year. This number is expected to increase exponentially with the ageing population.
Stewart Factor, Vance Lanier Chair of Neurology and clinical director of the Movement Disorders Research Program says, “Thanks to generous and forward-thinking donors like the Amoses, Emory’s Parkinson’s team has and will continue to change life dramatically for many of these patients.”

He says, “Gifts like the Amoses’ contribution are of great importance in bringing about advances in the early detection, treatment and possible prevention of Parkinson’s and other movement disorders.”
The contribution will help to recruit the finest researchers from three areas, including neuroimaging, neurogenetics, and neuropathology, that are key to these advances.

“Research has helped improve Paul’s quality of life over the years, and both of us want to see that research continue and ultimately lead to a cure for Parkinson’s,” Jean Amos says. “We made this gift in hopes that it will benefit others suffering from Parkinson’s and encourage others to give for Parkinson’s research.”