Stem-cell policy change liberating to researchers

WASHINGTON (AP) — Eight years of frustration are close to an end for scientists seeking ways to use embryonic stem cells to combat illness and injury.

On Monday, President Barack Obama plans to reverse limits imposed by President George W. Bush on using federal money for research with embryonic stem cells.

The long-promised move will allow a rush of research aimed at one day better treating, if not curing, ailments from diabetes to paralysis — research that is has drawn broad support, including from notables like Nancy Reagan, widow of the late Republican President Ronald Reagan, and the late Christopher Reeve. Continue Reading »

Georgia colleges embrace Obama’s stem cell decision

For eight years, scientists have taken extreme measures to continue researching how embryonic stem cells could treat illness and injury.

With limits on federal money for their studies, some set up freestanding labs, with dedicated equipment, to avoid commingling private donations with government grants.

They couldn’t use the same microscope for federally approved research and for analyzing newly derived stem cell lines. They weren’t even sure they could use their university e-mail accounts to discuss their research. Continue Reading »

POWER celebrates ten years of helping others

For some people a disability can be devastating and for others it becomes a challenge, but with the help of People on Wheels Encouraging Responsibility (POWER), changes can be made.

Judie Moffet, executive director and cofounder of POWER 10 years ago, says its goal is to get people living, not just existing.

Moffet suffered a spinal cord injury which left her in a wheelchair. Now a single mom and a graphic designer for her day job, she said she wants to help others with disabilities get a positive attitude. Continue Reading »

Man receives therapy in China

HOYLETON — As a speech therapist who works in the King City and surrounding area, Kelly Melton knows how difficult it is to overcome a disability. Now Melton is hoping her husband’s trip to China will help him further recover from a paralyzing injury with medical treatment not authorized here in the United States — umbilical cord stem cell treatment.

Chuck Melton has been paralyzed since 2002 as a result of a diving accident, when he dove into a lake and broke his neck, fracturing the C-7 vertebrae between his shoulder blades. The complete spinal cord injury left him paralyzed from the shoulders down, limiting use of his arm and hands. Continue Reading »

Tackling spinal cord injuries

Dr. Ragnarsson is a physiatrist (specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation) and professor and chairman of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Mount Sinai. Since 1971, he has been treating patients with physical disability. He oversees the treatment of almost 2,000 patients admitted each year with new disability which may be the result of spinal cord or brain injury, stroke or amputation. Continue Reading »

Degree of difficulty

Three years ago, when the family appeared publicly for the first time since Tyson Gentry’s spinal cord injury, Bob Gentry said something that has resonated with me ever since.

Someone asked Bob, a father of three, what his family learned from each other through such a trying ordeal.

“Our strength as a family is kind of tough to beat,” Bob said. “We didn’t have to say, ‘Geez, I wish we’d have done this’ or ‘Why didn’t we think of that?’ We didn’t have regrets of any kind. That’s not us as a family.” Continue Reading »

Paralysis from injury doesn’t hamper Lantzy

ST. BENEDICT – Ken Lantzy believes in making the best of situations and follows his own advice.

When a high school football injury caused permanent quadriplegia for him decades ago, Lantzy’s positive attitude became an unfaltering beacon of inspiration to his family, friends, community and scores of area youth. Continue Reading »

Paralyzed Plano man survived 54 years, inspired others

The doctors didn’t expect Don Harrington to survive the 1954 car accident that left him a quadriplegic.

Then the medical wisdom of the day said the 19-year-old college sophomore from Plano might live at most another five years.

But those doctors didn’t know Donna Harrington, who cared for her son and defied the odds for the next 50 years. She continued in her labor of love well past her 100th birthday. Continue Reading »

Paraplegic raising funds

Fenelon Falls resident praises support of association

More than six years ago, a single moment changed Matt Hughes’ life forever.

In August 2002, Hughes was involved in a pool accident that left him with a spinal cord injury that paralyzed him from the chest down.

Speaking at his home in Fenelon, Hughes said that he is still making adjustments in his life. Continue Reading »

A homecoming to remember

It was a homecoming to remember as Central welcomed back J. Johnson and honored him as the school’s basketball king on Friday night.

It was Johnson’s second appearance of the week at a Central ballgame after his Jan. 19 release from Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa. He had been there since suffering a serious spinal cord injury in a Dec. 27 car wreck.

The Central senior said it’s great to be back in Sequoyah County and he enjoyed watching the Tigers play. Continue Reading »