I Lied!

I lied about making my last post for the first half of the year! I was interviewed for this article on spinal cord injuries and it's now online. I just received the article from She Knows.com magazine and they quoted me accurately, twice! I had to share it with you.

You've heard the phrase, "Any pub is good pub." Well, I'll take it. You can read the entire article in She Knows.com by clicking here. Don't worry, it's short.


I welcome your comments.

Later,

Mike

Stem Cell Research Is Finally Going To Begin

It's finally going to happen — the first human experimentation with stem cells and human beings! This is VERY exciting news for not only yours truly, but for hundreds of thousands of spinal cord injured people and the people who know and care about us!

According to this article on Disaboom.com, Dr. Glen House, co-founder of Disaboom.com and himself a paraplegic, “This is the news we’ve been waiting for, and the world will be watching with great anticipation and hope. We may someday look back on this study as the genesis of a cure for not just SCI, but also for other types of neurological impairments."

You can read the entire article by clicking here.

Needless to say, I am pumped! I have been waiting a long time to see the first trials and am very anxious to see what becomes of this initial experiment.

I'll keep you informed.

By the way, this is an incredibly informative website full of wonderful information. If you are interested in disability issues and have a little time, I encourage you to check out this site. It will be time well spent.

Please feel free to comment.

Later,

Mike

Project Walk

I just learned of an organization that exists to help spinal cord injured people who may have the ability to walk, to help them do just that. It's called Project Walk and it's main location is in Carlsbad, California.

They discuss how important the first first year, and especially, the first six months post injury are in getting SCI's up and walking again. They are seeing some amazing results. I am very encouraged for new injuries by reading their website. You can view their site by clicking here. Their site is full of interesting information.

According to their website, their Mission is: Project Walk® exists to provide an improved quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries through intense exercise-based recovery programs, education, support and encouragement.

If you are, or know someone who has just suffered a spinal cord injury, I encourage you to at least check out Project Walk and see if you might be a candidate for their program.

Please feel free to comment. I look forward to them.

Later,

Mike

SCI Facts and Figures

In reviewing some of my recent posts, it seems I am focusing on disability issues. I want to continue doing that and give you a great website to learn more about spinal cord injury facts and the incidence and prevalence of SCI in the United States. If you are a spinal cord injured person, have a family member or friend who has a SCI, or just want to learn more about the issue, you should check out this page and the rest of this website.

According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Database's website:

The National Spinal Cord Injury Database has been in existence since 1973 and captures data from an estimated 13% of new SCI cases in the U.S. Since its inception, 26 federally funded Model SCI Care Systems have contributed data to the National SCI Database. As of October 2007 the database contained information on 25,415 persons who sustained traumatic spinal cord injuries.

You can get to the rest of this piece by clicking here.

One of the interesting trends I have seen these last several years is the changing terminology. One word in particular is changing — quadriplegia is being replaced by tetraplegia. They mean the same thing, and I am not quite sure why the change. Do you know? This article uses tetraplegia throughout.

In my mind, I will always be a quad. To me, a tertra is a tropical fish. Of course, that's coming from an old quad.

I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

The Promise of Embryonic Stem Cells

I can't tell you how many times I've watched the 60 Minutes piece I posted a few weeks ago. It has given me renewed hope they will find a cure for spinal cord injury and so many other diseases that will improve and even save lives! That doesn't even mention the idea they may be able to grow replacement tissue and organs for people who need them. It is fascinating!

In doing a little research on human embryonic stem cells, I came across this Position Statement on the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation website. Go to it by clicking here.

The highlight of the article for me is:

The Key Facts About Stem Cells

Stem cells are the building blocks of our bodies. They have the unique ability to turn into and regenerate the specialized cells that make up our tissues, bones and organs.

• Adult type stem cells are found in the body tissues, including tissues in the bodies of adults and in discarded umbilical cords and placentas. Scientists have been conducting research with adult stem cells for over 50 years and have developed a number of medical therapies that use adult stem cells, such as bone marrow transplants to treat leukemia.
• Embryonic stem cells are the new frontier in stem cell research. There are two basic sources of embryonic stem cells: leftover fertility clinic embryos that would otherwise be discarded and a process called Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT).
• SCNT is a recent medical breakthrough that can use a patient's own cells and an unfertilized human egg to make embryonic stem cells that match the patient's genetic makeup. Embryonic stem cell research does not use or harm an embryo or fetus in a woman's uterus.

It truly is a fascinating read. Let me know what you think.

Later,

Mike