For twenty-five long years, John Toman's hands betrayed him every time he tried to hold his camera steady. The CTV News cameraman battled essential tremors that made his professional life increasingly challenging and threatened to end the career he loved.
A Career Threatened by Uncontrollable Shaking
"It was getting to the point where I couldn't do my job anymore," Toman reveals, describing how the progressive neurological condition made simple tasks like holding a coffee cup or operating his broadcast equipment nearly impossible. The tremors began in his late teens and worsened over decades, despite trying various medications that provided only minimal relief.
As a news cameraman, steady hands aren't just important—they're essential. Toman watched helplessly as his condition threatened to cut short a career spanning major events and everyday news coverage across Canada.
The Revolutionary Treatment That Changed Everything
Hope arrived in the form of MRI-guided focused ultrasound, a non-invasive procedure available at Toronto's Sunnybrook Hospital. Unlike traditional brain surgery, this innovative treatment doesn't require drilling into the skull or lengthy hospital stays.
During the procedure, doctors use magnetic resonance imaging to precisely target the problematic area of the brain responsible for tremors. Then, highly focused ultrasound waves generate heat to create a small lesion that interrupts the faulty brain signals causing the shaking.
Immediate Results and a New Beginning
The transformation was instantaneous. "As soon as they turned the machine on, the tremor stopped," Toman recalls with amazement. "It was like a miracle."
Now, months after the surgery, Toman enjoys tremor-free days and has returned to work with renewed confidence. Simple pleasures like drinking from a glass without spilling or holding his camera steady no longer feel like impossible challenges.
What Are Essential Tremors?
Essential tremor is one of the most common movement disorders, affecting millions of people worldwide. Unlike Parkinson's disease, essential tremors typically occur during voluntary movements like writing, eating, or holding objects. The condition often runs in families and can significantly impact quality of life.
A Message of Hope for Others
Toman's story serves as powerful encouragement for the thousands of Canadians living with essential tremors. His successful treatment demonstrates how medical advancements are providing new options for conditions once considered manageable but not curable.
"It's given me a new beginning," Toman says, his voice filled with emotion. For a cameraman who depends on steady hands, this medical breakthrough has meant reclaiming not just his career, but his independence and quality of life.
