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On Saturday, October 22, we attended the 2nd annual Spinal Cord Injury fundraiser which was held in conjunction with the Oceano Dunes Endurance Beach Race.

We have been working with Will Ambler from Santa Ynez, California. He is a paraplegic who was injured in a motorcycle accident and has dedicated his life to finding a cure. He actively works with Dr. Jean Pedruzzi, formerly at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, who is now at the Detroit Medical Center. Here are some of the things I learned from Dr. Pedruzzi last Saturday.

Clinical trials are taking place in Portugal on a treatment that was found by chance by Dr. Carlos Lima. It is Dr. Pedruzzi's hope to improve upon that technique and bring it forth to clinical trials here in the United States. There is stem cell tissue in the nose that is located close to the brain, and these cells can "become" any other cells in the body. Dr. Lima started a technique that has worked in SCI animals; better than anything else in the past 14 years. Procedures have been done on 7 patients one week ago. All had some improvement; some had great improvement. We are moving forward to clinical trials.

They are getting initial patients to follow for two years. Sixty-five patients across the world have been operated on using this technique. Wayne State is keeping details. In the next couple of months, will be starting first phase of clinical trials with SCI. Rehab is essential. First 3-month phase will include a series of evaluations and very intensive rehab. Some people will prove to be good candidates and will have the treatment in Portugal. One month off; then 3 more months of rehab. Rehab program designed and conducted at the Detroit Medical Center. Evaluated the following year. This information will then go to the FDA.

In the research lab, they are working to see what happens to these stem cell nose tissues. Plan to put "male" cells into "female" candidates to be able to easily identify what the cells do. The FDA needs to know this.

Physicians and clinicians are trying really hard and are working all over the world. Establishing teams; close to a miracle! All working together for a common goal.

So, Dr. Pedruzzi plans to develop a procedure that works better and prove that it works!!