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or people with complex
neurological diseases
such as Parkinson’s,
finding specialized
and holistic care can be a frustrating
challenge. Patients must often travel to
multiple facilities over a span of weeks or
even months to create a comprehensive
treatment program with medical experts
from different disciplines.
UF neurology chair Michael S. Okun, MD
’96, and UF neurosurgeon Kelly D. Foote,
MD, founded UF’s movement disorders
program in 2002, which evolved into the
UF Health Center for Movement Disorders
and Neurorestoration in 2011 to provide
patients with a better way to navigate the
health care system. They launched the
interdisciplinary service and science hub
specialty care model to enable patients to
see upward of nine medical experts from
different disciplines during a single visit.
“You can engage with a variety of
doctors, therapists and other specialists in
one place, and that’s unique,” said Lee Fixel,
whose father, Norman, is being treated by
Foote and Okun. “I’m not aware of a place
capable of delivering such integrated,
well-rounded clinical programs to its
patients, and we experience it every
time we are here.”
Inspired by the team’s work, the Lauren
and Lee Fixel Family Foundation made a
$20 million gift in January to establish the
Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological
Diseases at UF Health, an institute focused
on advancing research, technological
innovation and clinical care for Parkinson’s
disease and other neurodegenerative
conditions, including Alzheimer’s,
Lewy body dementia, ALS, dystonia and
concussions.
“I wish my father, like millions of others
battling neurological disorders, didn’t have
to struggle daily with Parkinson’s disease,”
Lee Fixel said. “We’re very inspired by the
work they’re doing here, and we want
to help amplify their impact on as many
patients as possible.”
The Fixel family’s gift was matched by
UF, and the total $40 million funding
package is another catalyst in the $100
million comprehensive campaign designed
to provide additional resources for UF
scientists and doctors working to advance
treatments of neurological disorders.
“We have amazing faculty dedicated to
Parkinson’s and other neurologic diseases,”
said Okun, executive director of the Fixel
Institute. “One of the primary goals of this
gift is to attract additional world-class
physicians, scientists and academicians who
together can make an even bigger impact.”
An additional $4 million gift from the
Lauren and Lee Fixel Family Foundation
helped drive the creation of a new home
for the Fixel Institute on Williston Road,
which opened its doors to patients July 1.
The innovative facility provides expanded
space and resources to fulfill the team’s
missions of interdisciplinary care, research
and education.
“These amazingly generous and
transformational gifts and our new facility
have empowered the increasingly large
team here at the Fixel Institute to make a
substantial difference for people dealing
with complex neurological problems,” said
Foote, co-director of the Fixel Institute.
THE NORMAN FIXEL
INSTITUTE FOR
NEUROLOGICAL
DISEASES AT UF HEALTH
unveiled its world-class clinical care
and research building in June, marking
its latest step in the pursuit of providing
the nation’s most comprehensive and
advanced care for Parkinson’s disease
and other neurodegenerative disorders.
The state-of-the-art building was made
possible by the generous support of
many donors, including the Lauren and
Lee Fixel Family Foundation. Lee and
Lauren Fixel (pictured left) made the
gift in honor of Lee’s father, Norman.
F
PHOTO BY JESSE S. JONES