Triumph of the Spirit I: Conquering Spinal Cord Injury
Can paralyzed kids get back on their feet and walk? Imagine being a young man with everything to live for -- and then you're told you will never walk again. What would you do? Where would you turn for help? The great news is, there's a revolution going on in the treatment of spinal cord injury, and modern-day miracles are happening to young people who find the right treatment centers! In this program, the first of two episodes looking at cutting-edge treatments, Keeping Kids Healthy tells you the exclusive story of a young man named Matt, who was left paralyzed from the waist down after a snowboarding accident. But incredibly, within a year Matt was back on his feet -- and walking! How he got there, what he did to achieve the ultimate comeback -- and what he learned along the way about new spinal cord treatments and about life -- make for an inspiring and unforgettable half hour of television.
Click here for Triumph of the Spirit II: A Child's Journey Through Paralyis
GUESTS:
Matt Wyffels -- paralyzed in a snowboarding accident
Jessica Hill -- Age 7
Leann Hill -- Jessica's Mom
Susan Howley -- Director of Research & Executive Vice-President, Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, Springfield, NJ.
Leighton Weber -- Fitness Trainer specializing in paralysis; head of the Sit Tall, Stand Tall Rehabilitation Program in Provo, Utah, that teaches walking skill to individuals with paralysis.
John McDonald, MD -- Executive Vice-President and Staff Scientist, International Center for Spinal Cord Injury, Kennedy-Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD; Relevant Published Works Include: Spinal Cord Injury and Repair in Diseases of the Nervous System: Clinical Neurosciences and Therapeutic Principles; Repairing the Damaged Spinal Cord: From Stem Cells to Activity-Based Restoration Therapies in Clinical Neurosurgery.
David Salsberg, PsyD -- Director of Pediatric Psychology, Rusk Institute, NYU Medical Center, NYU School of Medicine; Published works include: Neuropsychological Assessment of Childhood Stroke in Loss, Grief & Care: A Journal of Professional Practice with R. Gordon.
RESOURCES:
Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation:
http://www.christopherreeve.org/The International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at Kennedy Krieger Institute
http://www.spinalcordrecovery.org/Sit Tall Stand Tall Rehabilitation Program, Provo, Utah
http://www.sittallstandtall.com/
The website is undergoing repairs, please email the head of the program, Leighton Weber at weberhsi@aol.comRusk Institute @ NYU Medical Center
www.med.nyu.edu/ruskThe Miami Project
http://www.miamiproject.miami.edu/
