Eye Guide MC, a lightweight, discreet device that requires no wires or batteries was designed by Lincolnshire woman, Sandra McDonough, to improve the debilitating symptoms of Parkinson’s, has welcomed two new recruits to its ever-growing team.

The start-up opened its doors during the middle of a global pandemic and has since expanded the business in more ways than one to keep up with the growing demands of enquiries incoming from across the world.

Joining the Spalding-based team is Ben Chester, as Specialist Technician and Janette Olive, as Specialist Advisor, who both offer different levels of experience, but are as passionate as one another about helping Parkinson’s sufferers regain their independence and alleviating the symptoms using the Eye Guide MC device.

Janette has a wealth of knowledge and experience of Parkinson’s, a disease that affects more than 145,000 people in England, after working for the charity, Parkinson’s UK for over 10 years. In her spare time, Janette supports local Parkinson’s groups by holding clinic sessions in her local community to help sufferers find ways of managing the neurological disease and provides a shoulder to lean on when their Parkinson’s journey gets a little tough.

Her heavy involvement in the Parkinson’s community wasn’t something that Janette felt she could walk away from after her departure from Parkinson’s UK. Janette said: “When anyone mentioned the word Parkinson’s, my ears would instantly prick up. Helping people with Parkinson’s has been my life for over 10 years, it’s not something I could instantly forget about.”

Fate brought Janette and Eye Guide MC together, after she overheard a conversation in a charity shop about a device that helped to improve the symptoms of Parkinson’s.

Janette said: “The lovely woman showed me a video of someone wearing the device, and then in the next clip she’d taken it off and her tremors we’re really bad and she could only walk in circles. The lady in the video turned out to be Sandra McDonough. I was blown away seeing what the device could do, in my 10 years of working alongside medical professionals and Parkinson’s sufferers I’d never seen a device like the Eye Guide MC that could instantly improve symptoms. As soon as I saw the video, I already had so many people in my mind that the device could help.”

After a phone call with Sandra the next day, Janette was introduced to the team and has since found herself leading the conversations with other experts and welcoming new clients into the clinic.

Ben Chester joined Janette briefly after and has formed part of the close-knit team to work in unison to ensure every client that walks through the clinic’s doors feels at ease.

Ben explained: “As a team we talk every individual through the consultation process to try and lower their anxiety levels. We also manage their expectations with the certain ailments they’d like to improve, as although the cases of the device improving people’s lives are rising, we don’t claim that the device will work for everyone. It’s fascinating to see what the device can do; no two patients are ever the same. For some it helps with their tremors, or their walking and for some it stops them freezing. The guide is very dependent on the individual.”

The device fitting is carried out by the team of specialist technicians due to its sensitivity. The device works on weight and provides visual sensory stimulus which helps with walking and can reduce tremors, so it’s essential to get it right the first time around. Ben’s ability to fit the device means more people can book a consultation and get started on their journey to reclaim their independence and get their smile back.

The team’s expansion comes shortly after the launch of the new Eye Guide MC website. The new site makes it really easy for people who are searching for the device to quickly learn more about how it works, read the incredible story of Sandra McDonough, founder, and inventor of the device, and find out how a knitting marker led to the remarkable invention of the lightweight over-the-ear Eye Guide MC device.

The new additions to the Eye Guide MC team will strengthen the existing expertise and will help the Eye Guide MC team fit more devices which in turn helps more people with Parkinson’s regain their independence.