Paralysis cure sought

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 288, 30 May 1989, Page 14

Paralysis cure sought

The Spinal Cord Society is a non profit, cure orientated, registered incorporated organisation, devoted 100% to find a cure for paralysis:

Damage done to the human central nervous system can cause partial or complete paralysis and a whole list of problems, physically and cmotionally. The amount of paralysis depcnds on the amount of damage the location of the injury and other contributing factors. Spinal cord paralysis is one of, if not the most devastating afflictions of all time. It can happen to anyone at anytimc. It mostly happcns to men agcd between 19 and 24 years old, mainly from car accidcnts, rugby and driving. Morc than 35 million Amcricans have spinal cord disfunction, including the diseases spinal bifida, multiple sclcrosis, parkinsons disease, ccrebral palsy, hcad injury and strokes. New Zealand is on a par per head of population. Over 10,000 people eacK year are paralysed with spinal injurics and it goes up at the alarming rate of one every 40 minutes in America. "Not all research organisations have real hope to offer. The Spinal Cord Society is the only organisation which prints specific projccts, results and conclusions," says New Zealand organiser Noela Hathaway. Mcmbers of the

Society hope thcir work will spccd the day when an injury, disease or . condition affccting the spinal cord does not commit the victim to life in a wheelchair and oftcn a series of medical traumas merely to stay alive. Dr Charles Carson of Minneapolis is presidcnt and founder of the Society formed in 1978 and has worked tirelcssly, himself being a paraplegic as a result of an aircraft accidcnt. He has proved with his scientists that paralysis can be cured. Since January 1988, remarkable progress has taken place in spinal cord cure research. This research being done on accidentally paralysed dogs, involves the implantation of a special type electrical stimulator which induces regeneration in spinal cords. The results are extremely encouraging. The majority of these dogs have regained bowel function, bladder control and some are now also walking. This is but one example of the type of research that the Spinal Cord Society has made possible. "We are more certain now than ever before, that cure for paralysis is within our reach," says Noela Hathaway.