Wednesday – 10/10/2012

“When we have hope, we discover powers within ourselves we may never have known – the power to make sacrifices, to endure, to heal, and to love. Once we choose hope, everything is possible.”

Christopher Reeve (whom the above quote is attributed to) died eight years ago today. An accomplished actor, he will be remembered more for what he achieved off-screen. He was a true pioneer and leader in the advancement of SCI research. Unfortunately, it often requires a high-profile personality experiencing a traumatic injury, such as a broken neck, before the appropriate and necessary attention can be garnered. Fortunately, for the many thousands living with paralysis, the fire that Christopher helped stoke still burns today, it’s flame engulfing resources that span the globe. Although Mr. Reeve will never directly benefit from the advancements he relentlessly pushed for, he will forever be indirectly linked to all of us who hope to one day reap its fruits.

I find it extremely fitting that the anniversary of his passing coincides with the announcement of this year’s winners of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. Both Sir John B. Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka received the distinguished honor for their work and groundbreaking discovery that “mature, specialized cells can be reprogrammed to become immature cells capable of developing into all tissues of the body.” More simply stated – an individual can have components extracted from his or her own blood, which can then be turned into embryo-like stem cells. What makes this achievement so significant, is that embryonic stem cells have been shown to provide the most encouraging signs of reversing some of the effects of a spinal cord injury. However, using embryonic stem cells to treat injury has been a controversial topic for several years due to the fact that the cells are harvested from fetuses. As a result of this scientific breakthrough, the possibility may soon exist to derive the same benefit solely by using one’s own cells.

Much work still remains, however, this is a remarkable milestone along the way towards achieving Christopher Reeve’s mission of advancing SCI research. And so while that work is continued, I continue on my own quest for optimal recovery, mainly through aggressive physical therapy. My body’s response to exercise shows no signs of plateau or slowing down. Rather, it is just the opposite, with each new workout session building on the momentum generated in previous sessions. Last week I was able to see marked improvement in my ability to balance myself in an upright position.

This past week also brought with it the opportunity for me to meet another amazing individual, Gracie, who is working every day to overcome the devastating aftermath a spinal cord injury leaves in its wake.

All individuals tackling these daunting odds should be commended for their resolve, however, I am always particularly humbled when I witness children standing strong in the face of adversity. I am inspired by and draw strength from Gracie, Alex, Owen and the several other children I have had the privilege of meeting. All of their childhoods were stolen and replaced with challenges no kid should ever have to confront. Regardless, they get up every day, work hard and push through the grind that each new sunrise delivers. And they lay their heads down upon the completion of every sunset, with the hope that tomorrow will be an even better day, and maybe one day it will be the last day they will have to spend in a wheelchair.

I’d like to think with everything that’s happened over this past week, we are one step closer to that day!

As my friend Bruce Springsteen sings, “Leave behind your sorrows / Let this day be the last / Tomorrow there’ll be sunshine / And all this darkness past…Big wheels roll through fields where sunlight streams / Meet me in a land of hope and dreams.”

Please continue to pray for all those living with an SCI, the special individuals who care for them, and the remarkable scientists, activists and others working towards a cure.

Stand Strong!

Scott