NEW research is urgently needed to help hundreds of people in Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire who are living with Parkinson’s disease.

That’s the message from Parkinson’s UK as the charity launches a public appeal to raise what it calls “desperately-needed funds” to revolutionise treatments.

It claims that, unless urgent action is taken now, research into the condition could fall behind.

The stark warning comes as the charity marks Parkinson’s Awareness Week, with two local people talking about their experience of the illness.

Ian Reilly, from Paisley, and Nancy McFaull, from Barrhead, want to see more research that could lead to better treatments.

Parkinson’s UK say the main drug people with the illness rely on – levodopa – hasn’t changed since the 1960s.

While some new drugs have been developed, no current medication is able to slow down or stop the spread of the condition, leaving those affected with severely limited treatment options.

Katherine Crawford, of Parkinson’s UK, said: “Two hundred years after the condition was identified, people with Parkinson’s are still waiting for an effective treatment that tackles the condition head on.

“It’s been more than 50 years since the last major drug breakthrough but Parkinson’s can still leave people struggling to do the simple things that most of us take for granted. “That’s just not good enough for the 11,000 people in Scotland with the condition, many of them in Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire.

“That is why we say we won’t wait any longer. Parkinson’s UK is harnessing the expertise of the research community and the support of those living with Parkinson’s to spearhead a new drive to deliver better treatments and a cure faster but we can’t do this alone.

“We’re urgently asking people to donate whatever they can to support our vital research. We won’t stand by and let Parkinson’s treatments fall further behind.”

Every hour, someone in the UK is told they have Parkinson’s. In Scotland, it affects around one in every 500 people.

Parkinson’s is a degenerative neurological condition, for which there currently is no cure.

The main symptoms of the condition are tremor, slowness of movement and rigidity.

The condition affects almost every area of a person’s life and can result in insomnia, nightmares, anxiety and bladder problems.

Research by Parkinson’s UK found a lack of public understanding of the day-to-day reality of living with the condition.

Almost half of people quizzed didn’t know that it is not possible to prevent Parkinson’s, while four in five were unsure, or incorrectly thought, that there is no limit to the amount of time Parkinson’s medication works for.

To find out more about the campaign or to offer your support, visit wewontwait.parkinsons.org.uk