Join Kent Musicians to Raise Awareness of a Cruel Disease

Rochester, United Kingdom, March 24, 2016 --(PR.com)-- For more than forty years, Mike Brown was an active resident of Cuxton near Rochester, regularly playing golf, appearing onstage in amateur theatre, and speaking in multiple Freemason circuits. He was always present at the concerts his wife Barbara, daughter Linda and son Stephen performed in and was often helping behind the scenes, but recently Mike’s speech became slurred and walking became a shuffle.

After three-and-a-half years of trying to find an answer, Mr. Brown was told he is suffering from the neurological condition Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP).

Around 4,000 people in the UK suffer from the condition which is caused by a loss of nerve cells in some parts of the brain and there is no cure. Early symptoms of the condition were slurred speech. Then Mr. Brown went on to suffer problems with his vision, balance and loss of empathy. Eventually his walk became a shuffle and internal organs began to fail.

Over the years Mr. Brown was told that the problem was Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s but after being referred to Professor James Rowe at Cambridge University, cognitive tests and MRI scans confirmed the devastating prospect that it was PSP.

Now, Mr. Brown can barely walk around the house unaided and is confined to a wheelchair to go out. He stopped driving a year ago after an accident.

Mrs. Brown said “His brain function and intelligence are totally unimpaired. The hardest thing for Mike is that he knows what is happening to him. It is a very cruel disease.”

Mr. Brown’s son Stephen is returning to his native village of Cuxton near Rochester from overseas to raise awareness of the condition as well as raising money for the PSP Association during an afternoon concert at St Michael and All Angels Church on Sunday, 29th May. He has not performed in Kent for over fifteen years.

Since singing in Cuxton and Halling churches as a young choirboy, Stephen P Brown has traveled the globe as a Conductor of orchestras, choirs, chamber ensembles and musical theatre troupes. He is a career coach for performers all over the world including the UK, USA, El Salvador, Spain, Romania and Australia and is in much demand as a speaker who motivates musicians to share their love of live music to build better societies.

As part of his campaign, musicians from Kent are invited to volunteer for his charity concert in Cuxton. Advanced players of standard orchestral instruments should complete an online application by March 31. Mr. Brown will select a number of applicants to join him and other Kent musicians already committed to the event.

For more information, visit http://spb.buzz/pspkent