Tourettes Action is a
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
support and research charity for people with
Tourette syndrome
Tourette syndrome or Tourette's syndrome (abbreviated as TS or Tourette's) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in childhood or adolescence. It is characterized by multiple movement (motor) tics and at least one vocal (phonic) ...
(TS) and their families.
TS is a neurological condition characterised by
tic
A tic is a sudden, repetitive, nonrhythmic motor movement or vocalization involving discrete muscle groups.American Psychiatric Association (2000)DSM-IV-TR: Tourette's Disorder.''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'', 4th ed., ...
s—involuntary sounds and movements.
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History
The charity was founded as the Tourette Syndrome (UK) Association in 1980 by a small group of parents of children with TS, who came together for mutual support. In 2006, the charity relocated to London and substantially expanded its services. A windfall from Big Brother 2006 winner Pete Bennett
Peter Alexander Bennett (born 22 March 1982) is an English television personality, actor and musician, who rose to fame after winning the seventh series of the Channel 4 reality series ''Big Brother'' in 2006. He has Tourette syndrome.
Caree ...
gave the organisation the opportunity to plan for future development to reach a higher percentage of the 300,000 children and adults in the UK with TS.
Aims and services
According to their website, Tourettes Action's goal is to help individuals with TS receive the practical support and social acceptance they need to help them live their lives to the fullest. It also funds research into treatment and diagnosis of TS.
Tourettes Action's services include a Helpline, information packs, conferences and workshops, support groups, camps for teenagers, help finding specialists, networks among professionals, ID cards for people with a diagnosis of TS, free monthly email newsletters and an online forum.
Ruth Ojadi
Ruth O. Ojadi is a British singer-songwriter who appeared in BBC's documentary, ''Tourettes: I Swear I Can Sing''. She attended Middlesex University in 2006 but dropped out after two years due to her Tourette syndrome. She also appeared in the ...
, organiser of the London Tourettes Action group, appeared in a BBC documentary titled ''Tourettes: I Swear I Can Sing'', broadcast on BBC in December 2011. The documentary follows her over a number of months as she focuses on her ability to sing and her newfound confidence.
References
External links
Official Tourettes Action Website
{{Authority control
Health charities in the United Kingdom
Tourette syndrome organizations