Royal Hospital For Neuro-disability And Channel 4 Highlight Ability In Disability, England

Main Category: Neurology / Neuroscience
Also Included In: Multiple Sclerosis
Article Date: 16 Dec 2008 - 0:00 PST

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Next Wednesday, 17th December, the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability features in Channel 4's Three Minute Wonder series. As part of the week-long strand themed Life After Coma, "Blah Blah Blah" focuses on Piotr, a remarkable resident living with Locked-in Syndrome, and shows how we have been able to restore his ability to communicate and publish three collections of poetry, despite his being over 90% paralysed. This film shows very clearly how we are able to adapt existing - and design new - technology that can meet individual circumstances, restoring choice and independence and therefore enable people like Piotr to retain their dignity.

New Date For RHN On Channel 4 On-Screen Alphabet Board

Look out for RHN's acclaimed Assistive Technology team, who will be appearing on Channel 4 in a Three Minute Wonder programme entitled, "Blah Blah Blah". The film, now scheduled for 17th December, focuses on Piotr, a remarkable RHN resident living with Locked-in Syndrome, and shows how we have been able to restore his ability to communicate and publish three collections of poetry, despite his being over 90% paralysed.

As you may know, on arrival at the RHN, many of our patients and residents have communication difficulties and may have cognitive and behavioural requirements in addition to a physical disability. Communication is the key to everything that we do; in order to interact at all levels our residents need to be able to communicate these requirements and to be understood. This film shows very clearly how we are able to adapt existing - and design new - technology that can meet individual circumstances, restoring choice and independence and therefore enable people like Piotr to retain their dignity.

"Blah Blah Blah" is one of four short films, airing at 7.55pm from 15th to 18th December, themed "Life After Coma". This series of documentary films explores the lives of four people that have survived a coma but now live in various states of consciousness.

Produced by Mosaic Films for Channel 4, the films were directed and filmed by Dr Barry J Gibb, a former neuroscientist and author of 'The Rough Guide to the Brain'. He said, "Being conscious is something we take seriously for granted. In these films, each of the main characters became comatose after a serious incident, but all have managed to fight their way back to some form of awareness - continuing to improve and inspire those around them."

"The greatest challenge I had with this film [Blah Blah Blah] was making sure the audience would understand how Piotr communicates using the 'grid system'. This clever system [seen above] is actually quite simple but what it allows is astounding - it is Piotr's interface with the world, allowing him to continue writing, creating."

Source
Julian Quigley
Press & PR Officer
Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability
West Hill
London
SW15 3SW
http://www.rhn.org.uk