Led by Oswald Steward’s team from the Reeve-Irvine Research Center, University of California and Harvard University’s associate Professor of Neurology Zhigang He, the project has fundamentally changed the history of curing paralysis from spinal cord injury. Through a revolutionary discovery involving the PTEN gene, researchers have regenerated nerves in the damaged spinal cord of mice responsible for movement and sensation in the body. The two doctors believe that these results can be duplicated on the human body.
Walking With Anthony is inspired by Anthony Purcell, who was paralysed after a diving accident in 2010, but can now stand with the help of a walker. With about 12,000 people falling victim to spinal cord injury each year, it is the organisation’s hope to increase spinal cord injury research and provide financial assistance to spinal cord injury victims.
“Having seen the effects of spinal cord injury first-hand, I know how much this research and potential results would mean to the approximately 1.5 million people in the United States who are confined to a wheelchair,” said Micki Purcell, founder, Walking With Anthony. “We want to raise the money needed for this research to move forward at a faster pace so that people can start taking advantage of its findings.”
“Dr He and I are convinced that a major threshold has been crossed in our goal of regenerating connections in the injured spinal cord. We are working hard to translate the discoveries into a therapy that could restore motor function to people who have suffered spinal cord injuries. On behalf of the entire CST Regeneration Project team, we greatly appreciate the support from Walking with Anthony,” said Steward, director of the Reeve-Irvine Research Center.
