Bill Barta was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease several years ago and had lost use of his right arm. He feared he wouldn’t be able to walk his teenage daughter down the aisle someday.

Barta underwent deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery with neurosurgeon Dr. Francisco Ponce at Barrow Neurological Institute. In DBS surgery, an electrode is implanted in a targeted area of the brain and connected to a pacemaker-like device in the chest. The device, called a neurostimulator, sends electrical currents to the electrode to control symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, like tremors.

“It’s absolutely amazing,” he said. “It’s hard for me really to put into words how life-changing it’s been.”

Read the full story: Medical breakthrough is changing Phoenix-area lives of those with Parkinson’s