The majority of people with Lou Gehrig’s Disease, also commonly known as ALS, only live for about five years after their initial diagnosis. But famed physicist Stephen Hawking lived with the disease for more than 50 years. One reason, according to new research, might have been his positive outlook on life.
Doctors have long told patients with chronic illnesses to keep a “glass is half full” attitude. You often hear about people “beating back” cancer because of their stubbornness to give into the disease. Even medical clowns, who roam the halls of hospitals, are viewed as a way to change people’s outlook and possibly their prognosis as well.
But a team of Israeli doctors has gone a step further, providing scientific proof to this oft-cited anecdotal evidence.
Oxford Biodynamics PLC (LON:OBD) was spun out from Oxford University in June 2007 with the aim of translating fundamental scientific advances into a commercialised platform technology and a new generation of biomarkers for cancer and other diseases. OBD has been granted a substantial funding award from Innovate UK to develop and validate diagnostic, prognostic and predictive EpiSwitch™ biomarkers for ALS.