LGMD Clinic Staff:       Brent Beson, MD

Affiliation:     MDA Neuromuscular Center at INTEGRIS southwest Medical Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Role or Position:        Medical Director

What education and training did you have to arrive at your current position?

Medical School at university of Oklahoma, residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, fellowship in neuromuscular disease at Washington University in St Louis

What led you to follow a career in patient services and clinical care in muscular dystrophy in particular?

Volunteering after high school at MDA summer camps were instrumental in my career choice. 

What areas of clinic support or patient care are you most involved in?

I am most involved in Neuromuscular Medicine.

How does your work help patients? What are you most passionate about and excites you most about the future of LGMD Patient Care?

Helping people facilitate options for the here and now to promote their independence and quality of life while we are navigating the science toward a cure.   The current pace of research and potential for gene therapy is simply amazing and will continue to benefit our patients in the future.  

What would you like patients and others interested in LGMD to know about NMD clinics who serve LGMD patients?

Multidisciplinary approach works very well and is worth the travel for many to access the knowledge of the team.

What inspires you to continue working in this field?

The sheer volume of potential diagnostic possibilities and variable presentation of patients is profound and leads to continued quest to learn and understand more

WHAT IS ONE UNIQUE FACT ABOUT YOU THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW?

My favorite book is title “14,000 Things To Be Happy About”

How can patients encourage you and help your work?

Continue to demonstrate the perseverance toward goals and quality of life.    Many of my patients have taught me the value of living life from the seated position.   Gravity never gives up on our patients, so our patients should never give up on themselves if they need to use a wheelchair or other device to maintain function.