A Columbia resident with cervical dystonia, a chronic and painful disorder causing involuntary spasms of neck muscles, won a national contest that will award $10,000 to the Bethesda Naval Hospital to benefit soldiers injured in Iraq.
“I’m extremely honored to have this opportunity to create awareness of cervical dystonia but also to support the military — It’s something I always enjoy doing,” said Linda Furiate.
This month, Furiate was announced as one of four winners of the Botox Dreams campaign, a national health education and philanthropic initiative of Allergan Inc., the Irvine, Calif.-based company that makes Botox.
“Linda’s story of her courageous battle with cervical dystonia is nothing short of compelling and inspiring,” said Crystal Cienfuegos, a spokeswoman for Allergan.
“We hope through the Botox Dreams educational campaign, Linda and others will continue to raise awareness of this debilitating condition, ultimately helping others receive an accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment through their physicians.”
Furiate was selected based on her essay describing her struggles with the condition since 1995 and how she’s improved, using Botox along with exercise.
Her symptoms began after a car accident when she experienced mild whiplash. She soon noticed she was having trouble keeping her head straight.
“My upper body was a twisted mess. It felt as though my neck muscles were pushing my head violently as far to the right as physically possible,” she wrote in the essay.
Botox always hasn’t been used for cosmetic enhancements to make faces look younger and more youthful, she said.
In 2000, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Botox as a treatment for cervical dystonia in adults.
“It’s injected strategically into the affected muscle with precise accuracy,” said Dr. Nelson Kohn, a physiatrist with the VA Maryland Health Care System who’s treated Furiate for more than a year.
The Botox then weakens muscles, allowing patients to control their movements, but it’s incurable and usually must be given every two to three months, he said.
“Nobody really knows what causes it,” Kohn said.
The disorder has no standard classification for severity, but is determined by the patient and how it affects them socially and in other ways,” Kohn said.
“The biggest thing is having more of a social life,” Furiate said. “When your body’s twitching and having spasms, it’s very exhausting and embarrassing. With Botox, I have the physical ability to carry my body.”
The date for the check donation to the naval hospital is still to be determined but is expected in early January, Furiate said.
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