Use of HIFU for Tremor-Dominant Parkinson’s Disease: A Patient Success Story
Known for his vibrant, outgoing personality, Timothy Mark Sick has never been one to sit still.
“My friends would say I’m loud,” the 66-year-old says with a laugh. “I’ve always had a lot of energy.”
That energy has fueled a remarkable life. Alongside his partner of 26 years, Salvatore Zambito, Mr. Sick has helped restore nearly 170 historic homes in Buffalo, New York, where he lives part of the year. Many of the homes were rescued from demolition and transformed into thriving community spaces.
When he’s not managing construction sites or designing landscapes, he’s traveling, cooking, hosting weekly gatherings or finding ways to give back. Recently, he donated more than 270 trees to the Buffalo Park System.
“I was living a full, rewarding and beautiful life,” he says. “I never imagined that could change so quickly.”
A Life Interrupted
In late December 2019, Mr. Sick became severely ill with what he believes was an early case of COVID-19.
“On the first day, it kicked me in the ass,” he recalls. “I became very weak, very quiet—and I cried often. That wasn’t me.”
He eventually recovered. But soon after, something far more frightening began.
“I woke up one morning and my left hand was clamped shut,” he says. “It was shaking uncontrollably. I knew something was very wrong.”
Over the next 18 months, the tremors spread—up his arm, into his shoulder, down his leg, and eventually to the other side of his body.
“I was shaking every waking hour,” he says. “There was no break, no relief.”
For Mr. Sick, the toll was physical and emotional.
“I felt like I was living in a fog—like a zombie,” he says. “I couldn’t think clearly. I couldn’t sleep. I was scared this was my life now.”
Once active and independent, he struggled to walk even short distances. He could no longer drive, cook or safely manage his projects.
“I went from running multiple job sites to needing to sit down every few minutes,” he says. “I thought, ‘Is this it? Is this how I’m going to live?’”
Searching for Answers
Determined to find help, Mr. Sick sought care from specialists around the world, including in Berlin, London, Boston and New York.
“I was chasing answers everywhere,” he says. “No one could give me a clear diagnosis at first.”
Doctors debated between essential tremor and Parkinsonism. Eventually, he was diagnosed with tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease. This is a smaller, distinct subset of the disease in which tremors are the primary and most debilitating symptom.
With other more common forms of Parkinson’s disease, patients typically also experience symptoms like extreme slowness of movement (bradykinesia) and severe rigidity.
Doctors prescribed medications but they weren’t effective in arresting his tremor. “Medications weren’t doing anything,” he says. “That was the hardest part—the tremor just wouldn’t stop.”
Finding Hope in South Florida
Mr. Sick and Mr. Zambito began researching leading neurological care in South Florida. Their search led them to neurosurgeon Justin Sporrer, M.D., co-director of functional neurosurgery at Baptist Health Miami Neuroscience Institute.
“From the first meeting, I felt like, ‘Okay, I’m in the right place,’” Mr. Sick says. “He listened. He understood exactly what I was going through.”
Dr. Sporrer worked closely with Miami Neuroscience Institute movement disorder specialist Diego Torres-Russotto, M.D., on Mr. Sick’s case. The two physicians carefully reviewed his symptoms and test results before presenting him with two different treatment options.
One option—Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)—involved implanting electrodes in the brain.
“I said no right away,” Mr. Sick says. “I just wasn’t comfortable with something that invasive.”
The other option: High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU).
“I had already researched HIFU and it sounded fascinating,” he says. “The idea of a non-invasive treatment—it just made sense to me.”
A Non-Invasive Breakthrough
HIFU is an FDA-approved procedure that uses highly focused ultrasound waves to target a small area in the brain’s thalamus responsible for tremors.
“Thousands of ultrasound beams come together at one precise point,” Dr. Sporrer explains. “That creates enough energy to treat the cells causing the tremor—without surgery.”
For Mr. Sick, it was the right fit.
“I wanted something effective but less invasive,” he says. “And I trusted the team at Miami Neuroscience Institute completely.”
The Moment Everything Changed
On February 10, 2026, Mr. Sick arrived at Miami Neuroscience Institute for the procedure.
“I was nervous,” he admits. “Even with all the research, it’s your brain—you think about that.”
His head was shaved and placed in a rigid frame to prevent any movement while he was inside the MRI undergoing treatment.
Neurosurgeon Justin Sporrer, M.D., co-director of functional neurosurgery at Baptist Health Miami Neuroscience Institute, fits Timothy Sick with a frame to keep his head still while having his Parkinson's disease tremor treated with high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU)
During HIFU, patients remain awake. After the first round of treatment, Dr. Sporrer asked him to draw a spiral and write his name.
“It still looked like an EKG,” Mr. Sick says of his zig-zag handwriting. “But I could already feel something was different—my hand was calmer.”
After a second brief treatment, everything changed
“I looked down at my left arm and the tremor was gone. Just gone,” he says. “I started crying immediately. I couldn’t believe it.”
When Dr. Sporrer came into the room, Mr. Sick lifted his left hand, now tremor-free.
“I ‘high fived’ him,” he says, smiling. “I wanted to hug him, but I was still strapped into the frame.”
When Dr. Sporrer asked if the results of his HIFU procedure had met his expectations, Mr. Sick’s answer was simple: “Far better.”
Getting His Life Back
The transformation was immediate.
“The next day, the brain fog was gone,” he says. “It was like someone flipped a switch.”
With his tremor under control and his energy restored, he began rebuilding his strength through physical therapy.
“Now I can walk over a mile,” he says. “Before, I could barely go a few feet without stopping.”
He’s back to doing what he loves—working on homes, cooking, hosting friends and spending time outdoors.
“And yes,” he adds with a grin, “I’m loud again.”
A Grateful Advocate
Today, Mr. Sick remains deeply grateful to the team at Miami Neuroscience Institute.
“They didn’t just treat me—they cared about me,” he says. “Every single person made a difference, from Dr. Sporrer and Dr. Torres-Russotto to Adriana Gonzalez, APRN, and the entire staff, I felt so well cared for.”
He now shares his story with others facing similar challenges.
“I carry Dr. Sporrer’s cards with me,” he says. “If I meet someone struggling with tremors, I hand them one. People need to know this exists.”
For Mr. Sick, having his tremors treated with HIFU can be summed up in five simple words: “I got my life back.”
