Video: Younger Parkinson’s patients opt for surgical treatment

>>> in health news tonight we're going to talk about the 40,000 people diagnosed with parkinson 's disease every year in this country. a growing number of them are young, under age 50. more these days are turning to surgery to help keep their disease and symptoms at bay. tonight our chief medical editor dr. nancy snyderman has one remarkable success story.

>> reporter: angela is a mother of four and a life-long runner. she used to start her days with a five- mile run , but lately her parkinson 's disease has made that and so much more impossible.

>> i have little kids and they like to run around the yard. i would like to be able to keep up with them.

>> reporter: angela is one of the estimated million americans living with parkinson 's disease a growing number under the age of 50. it is a degenerative disease which means it gets worse with time.

>> that's me seven years ago just with one side. now it's switching over to both.

>> reporter: she is off her medications because she has decided to try brain surgery to help her manage her disease and the surgery must be performed when her symptoms are at their worst.

>> i love you.

>> you ready?

>> no.

>> reporter: her husband, matt, shaves her head in preparation for the surgery. but as much as she tries to take it all in stride, it is sometimes overwhelming. angela was only 32 when she was diagnosed.

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Video: Younger Parkinson’s patients opt for surgical treatment