Arizona artist regains ability to carve after deep brain stimulation

Bill Daggett, an Arizona artist, has resumed woodcarving following a surgical procedure designed to manage his Parkinson’s disease. The therapy, known as deep brain stimulation, involves sending electrical pulses to specific areas of the brain to reduce tremors.

Daggett first noticed the physical symptoms while attending an art show. A physician observed his shaking and recommended a medical evaluation, which resulted in a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. The condition progressed to the point where Daggett struggled with basic daily tasks.

“I couldn’t even eat, hardly. I was shaking so bad, and I didn’t want to go out anymore,” Daggett said. He noted that the tremors made holding a fork difficult, contributing to a sense of isolation and depression.

When medication alone failed to control his symptoms, Daggett opted for deep brain stimulation. The procedure implants a device that delivers continuous electrical impulses to the brain. Sam Cradduck, a gerontologist and host of the program Aging Untold, described the intervention as similar to a cardiac pacemaker.

“What they did was basically give his brain a pacemaker,” Cradduck said. He explained that the device helps reset the brain’s rhythm to reduce tremors and mitigate side effects associated with the disease.

Cradduck emphasized the emotional impact of the treatment, noting that the procedure restored a key part of Daggett’s identity. “He was so connected with being the artist and being able to create, and the disease was robbing him of that,” Cradduck said. The therapy is currently viewed as a quality of life improvement for patients who have lived with the condition for years.

Daggett’s hands are now steady enough to hold carving tools. He has returned to his work, creating pieces that he previously found impossible to complete due to the severity of his tremors.