Post by Lαrα on May 17, 2015 4:47:55 GMT -8
This is always as the back of my mind but it came to the forefront today after reading a newspaper article on the topic of Spinal Cord Injury cure and the prospects.
I know that many maintain the hope that 'Cure' will happen and I do think it is good to keep that hope but maybe be realistic with it also. Cure would mean that nerves could be regenerated and function returns ( this is my version not an official one).
This of course would allow the opportunity of walking, normal bladder, bowel and sexual function and normal function of the autonomic system.
Within this article one person recollects being told that in 20 years there would be a cure......she was told this 21 years ago! I have always been a little skeptical in regards to campaigning and taking donations off individuals for Cure research.
Absolutely, research needs the funds but is it being put to the best use? Most people with SCI if asked would prefer to re-gain function in bladder, bowel and sexual function over walking so would it not make sense to focus on these areas?
I wonder how much money is used for the research for upright mobility when ideally we need to focus on how we can improve daily living right now.
''The recovery from paralysis of a Bulgarian man has given hope to many, but, as Charlie Cooper finds out, those affected often crave less headline-grabbing improvements''
Yesterday, global headlines announced that a paralysed Bulgarian firefighter has been able to walk again after pioneering therapy that involved transplanting regenerative cells from his nasal cavity into his spinal cord.
The British researcher behind the treatment, Professor Geoffrey Raisman of University College London, says that it represents an "historic change" in the outlook for people disabled by a spinal cord injury.
But he also urges caution, as have many other scientists. The treatment has only appeared to work in one person so far.
I'm a little skeptical sometimes because just about 7 years ago i became involved in animal rescue, in particular in France for horses. I tried to work with the main equine charity here in the UK, thinking they would be interested to co operate and become involved.
They were, after all, campaigning for donations to stop live export of animals from France! But guess what...what they were actually doing is using this campaign as a platform to gain them donations and in fact they were doing nothing to help these horses who were dying horrifically. Of course they used the graphic videos of them dying and injured because it pulled on heartstrings.
I learnt very quickly that large organizations do this and yet never get to the crux of the issue..and on it goes...for years. Of course rats show improvements but our nervous system is more complex than a rat's....
What are your thoughts on this?I
Click here to read the article Source