The Jackie Deakin Dystonia Prize Essay Competition
BACKGROUND NOTES
The Jackie Deakin and Newbigin Family Essay Prize
Competition
What is DYSTONIA?
Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder characterised by involuntary and
sustained muscle spasms which cause abnormal movements and postures.
Dystonia is debilitating and painful. It can be generalised, affecting the whole of
the body, or focal - affecting part of the body such as the jaw, tongue or mouth,
head and neck, arms and hands, or the muscles around the eye.
Dystonia in children can be particularly cruel, and is often progressive. It can
leave a child with an able mind in a seriously disabled and contorted body,
sometimes unable to communicate.
How many are affected?
More than 40,000 people in the UK have dystonia, but many remain undiagnosed
or misdiagnosed.
What is The Dystonia Society?
The Society was formed in 1983 and has over 3,000 members including family
groups and is an extremely active charity which has the following aims:
 to provide support and information to patients and carers through its Helpline
and information services.
 to promote medical research into the causes and treatments of dystonia, and
ultimately to find a cure.
 to create greater awareness and understanding of dystonia amongst medical
professionals, patients, families and carers, and the general public.
The COMPETITION:
Eligibility: to enter, you must be a registered student at a UK medical school,
and in your 3rd, 4th, 5th or final year of study.
Format: Each essay submitted must relate to an aspect of dystonia. It must be
an original piece of work, authored by the candidate. It should be typed in
double-spacing in a minimum of 10 point font, illustrated if relevant, maximum
3,000 words excluding references. Each page must have a footer to include:
page number, candidate’s name. References should be relevant and in
Vancouver format (as in BMJ).
The Dystonia Society – Reg Charity 1062595,
Address: 2nd Floor 89 Albert Embankment London, SE1 7TP
Tel: 0845 458 6211
The Jackie Deakin Dystonia Prize Essay Competition
Please make sure you follow the format above failure to do so will mean the
essay will not be marked.
All essays should be submitted via email to – info@dystonia.org.uk by 5 pm on
8th December 2014
Topics: open as long as the content relates to dystonia, for example:
 Treatments – is there a cure?
 Diagnosis, differential diagnosis and classification of dystonia.
 Particular issues for women & children
 Genetics
 Pathogenesis and pathophysiology
 Factors affecting quality of life
 Perception of dystonia within general population
 Epidemiology
 The role of EMG in diagnosis or treatments
 Effectiveness of “specialised therapies”
 The role of surgery
The panel of judges will include:
 Dr Mark Edwards (Chair) - Senior Lecturer at the Sobell Department of Motor
Neuroscience and Movement Disorders at the UCL Institute of Neurology and
Honorary Consultant Neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and
Neurosurgery.
 Dr Peter Moore– Senior Lecturer in Neurology, Liverpool
 Dr Kathryn Peall - Clinical Lecturer, Institute of Psychological Medicine and
Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University
 Dr Tim Harrower - Consultant Neurologist, Royal Devon and Exeter NHS
Foundation Trust
The panel will be looking for a fresh approach, good ideas, and essays that are
well argued and clearly written.
Publication: It is hoped to publish the winning & selected entries in the Society’s
newsletter and website.
Prizes:
1st
2nd
3rd (5 prizes)
£1,500
£750
£300 each
Timescales:
Submit essay by 5 p.m. on 8th December 2014
Communication: please mark all communications “Jackie Deakin and Newbigin
Family prize” in subject line and email to: info@dystonia.org.uk
The Dystonia Society – Reg Charity 1062595,
Address: 2nd Floor 89 Albert Embankment London, SE1 7TP
Tel: 0845 458 6211
The Jackie Deakin Dystonia Prize Essay Competition
Additional background information on dystonia can be obtained from the
Society’s web site on www.dystonia.org.uk . If you have other questions, please
do not hesitate to email me: info@dystonia.org.uk
The Dystonia Society – Reg Charity 1062595,
Address: 2nd Floor 89 Albert Embankment London, SE1 7TP
Tel: 0845 458 6211
The Jackie Deakin Dystonia Prize Essay Competition
What to do if you want to enter
1. Plan your entry. You can see the winning entries from the previous
competition on the web site.
2. Complete your essay following the criteria above and email it to the
Dystonia Society on info@dystonia.org.uk by 5 pm on 8th December 2014.
The Dystonia Society – Reg Charity 1062595,
Address: 2nd Floor 89 Albert Embankment London, SE1 7TP
Tel: 0845 458 6211