House of Miracles - Spinal Cord Injury Neuro-Degenerative Disease

ReWalk

Carilion Clinic
Human Trials Start Now!
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The Three Partners

Three partners have agreed to pioneer fielding robotic systems for patients in need of powered solutions to aid their rehabilitation therapy. Carilion is one of the first 10 clinics in the world to adopt ReWalk’s first of its kind technology to benefit neurorehab patients!

ReWalk - More than Walking

ReWalk Robotics

Using their cutting edge technology ReWalk Robotics Ltd. manufactures and markets wearable robotic exoskeletons and exosuits for individuals with lower limb disabilities as a result of spinal cord injury or stroke. ReWalk's mission is to fundamentally change the quality of life for individuals with lower limb disability through the creation and development of market leading robotic technologies. Founded in 2001, ReWalk has headquarters in the United States, Israel and Germany. For more information on the ReWalk systems, please visit www.rewalk.com.

Carilion Clinic

Carilion

Carilion Outpatient Therapies is very excited to be able to offer the ReWalk ReStore Soft Exo-Suit to our patients. ReStore is the only device on the market which provides customized, powered assistance during the ground clearance and push-off phases of the gait cycle for retraining of walking function for patients with hemiparetic gait. This pioneering technology will improve care for many of our spinal cord patients and stroke patients looking for cutting-edge treatments to improve their mobility and independence.  The ReStore will also assist our therapists by providing a tool to help deliver cutting edge therapy with less physical effort, track patient progress, and improve overall mobility and community re-integration for their patients. 

Carilion is delighted to be one of the few clinics in the world to offer this treatment. We are already helping patients use the ReWalk exoskeleton and have seen many impressive results. Two stories of our work with ReWalk can be as seen at the following sites. https://www.wsls.com/news/2018/06/08/carilion-gives-man-hope-of-walking-again-with-exoskeleton-after-paralyzing-crash and http://carilionclinicliving.com/article/patient-stories/walking-again-after-15-years. 
 

HoMe-SCI

HoMe-SCI-ND

We are a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing spinal cord injury and neurodegenerative disease research, cures and rehabilitation.

Everyday there are new discoveries and HoMe – SCI & ND, Inc. is uniquely connected to bring results. Many talk, but few are able to make a difference for not only the millions injured but their families, children, friends, care-givers--all those hoping for a cure.

Executive Director Update

June 2023 Update

I am sure those who have experienced the effects of spinal cord injury and other neurological degenerative diseases can relate to the importance of what it takes to achieve even a modicum of recovery and in so doing, experience minor or major miracles along the way.

  • The first stage after injury and initial medical care is shock. .So let’s be blunt. The shock occurs because we suddenly are at the mercy of others. In many cases, we are faced with a lack of independence: an inability to do the simplest of bodily functions. The sooner the injured and their family recover from this shock, the sooner they can develop a strategy for obtaining short term and if need be, long term, responsive medical care
  • Physical therapy will be required. Not all doctors and physical therapists have the experience to deal with complex injuries or diseases. Do the research. Find the experts. You will find there are centers of excellence located in this country and around the world. Once found, team with them and take responsibility for your medical care. Be involved in the decision making process. Be aware there may be set backs.
  • Believe. Be positive. The good medical experts will do their best. They know the how the body works and will creatively identify ways to achieve recovery. Physical therapy is hard work, frustrating and at time you will want to give up. It will require digging deep and persevering. Tell these experts what you are feeling and what you need.
  • Find a good General Practitioner you can talk to and will help prescribe the necessary treatment. This is key for ensuring insurance coverage.
  • Research. There are daily, weekly, monthly, yearly advances in medicine. There are human trials and cures for various maladies that occur with little fanfare except for those who are seeking information and have their names put on mailing (email) lists. We at times include ones we find on this web site
  • Talk to other patients. You will be surprised at the “golden nuggets” you will obtain that may help you deal with challenges you may both be experiencing.

Following are some of the companies and medical teams we have been involved with relatively recently since moving to Harrisonburg, VA.

Due to the effects of the COVID pandemic our efforts were stymied at times  Regardless we teamed with ReWalk Robotics, Inc. (rewalk.com) , Inc and Carilion to field a ReStore system at the Carilion Rehabilitation Center in Roanoake, VA. 

This company’s ReStore Exo-suit, FDA approved for stroke rehabilitation, was first fielded approximately six months ago.  After the rehab center personnel were trained and certified as capable of safely meeting the needs of patients, this system was then made available for patient use at the certified training center.  Although the focus when seeking FDA approval was helping recovering stroke patients, we saw the potential applicability for SCI patients with comparable disabilities.

Since that time, my wife Michele, who is paraplegic, did use the Restore and other robotic and muscular stimulation systems in cooperation with highly trained physical therapist at major medical centers in Virginia to achieve varying degrees of improvement. 

Our GP is associated with Sentara Integrated Medicine and was key to understanding our needs and gaining access to medical care.

ReWalk (ReWalk.com). Go to their website. You will find they have certified training centers around the world.  This includes those operated by the Veterans Administration. You will find the company is regularly making improvements/updates to their ReWalk and ReStore Robotic Systems/software. Using the systems enables patients to walk better, potentially without the aid of other assistive equipment like crutches or canes, but it highlights weaknesses the patient can target during physical therapy to make the use of these systems more beneficial.

Carilion Clinic Outpatient Therapy 105 Summerfield Court, Roanoke, VA 24019 (Carilion Clinic Outpatient Therapy - Summerfield Court | Carilion Clinic) has caring, certified physical therapists who can help patients gain access to the ReWalk and ReStore exoskeleton systems.

Sheltering Arms, (https://shelteringarmsinstitute.com) is a world class medical center at a variety of locations. The Hanover Clinic at 8226 Meadowbridge Road,Mechanicsville, VA provides access to the latest in robotic and stimulation technology including Bioness and Restorative Therapies FES devices. We used the FDA approved Indego Exoskeleton (Indego | Powering People Forward) which provides excellent potential for improving and achieving mobility.

Bioness L300 Foot drop functional electrical stimulation (FES), robotic system (bioness - Bioventus). When teamed with a Bioness Trained Physical Therapist, this system can help address foot drop and better enable patient mobility.

Restorative Therapies RT300 FES Bike (restorative-therapies.com). we found various stationary bikes help improve or retain physical strength and endurance. We like this bike because it is tuned to the individual specific needs, resistance can be increased and the FES support allows lengthy riding sessions.

Valley Prosthetics and Orthotics (Home - Valley Orthotics And Prosthetics (valley-op.com).  The staff here are recognized experts in their field. Here were learned of a C-Brace by Ottobock (Welcome to Ottobock. We help people maintain or regain their freedom of movement.) who are makers of prosthetics, orthotics and exoskeletons (they acquired SuitX, one of the leaders in the development of exoskeletons). The staff also introduced us to Wampler & Associates Rehabilitation who they team with to provide the necessary physical therapy for patients they are fitting various Ottobock devices.     https://gofund.me/b7b348a1

Wampler & Associates Rehabilitation (Wampler & Associates Rehabilitation (wamplerrehab.com)). The caring staff here is inspired, experienced, inventive and provide superb physical therapy for patients recovering from spinal cord injury, Parkinson and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Let me end this update by thanking all who supported the House of Miracles the past few years hopefully enabling us to make some dreams come.

Steven W. Zander
Executive Director
House of Miracles, SCI & ND

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Breaking News!! New Partnership Announced!

An anonymous donor has provided $35,000 to enable a three-way partnership among ReWalk, Carilion Clinic, and House of Miracles-SCI-ND with the intent to pioneer fielding the ReStore system. ReWalk (https://rewalk.com) robotic systems, have FDA approval and have proven to enable greater mobility and independence for those suffering from neurological impairments, with potential to continue to gain physical improvements.

Those who have followed updates of this website are aware HoMe is working with ReWalk to field a minimum of three ReStore “exosuit” systems in the USA and Europe. These plans were delayed due to COVID-19 because most medical centers were devoted to priority response to COVID patients. Rehabilitation centers are now taking steps so they can once again safely treat patients in their facilities and once funding is avaialbe we will proceed.

Notably, on June 22, 2020, ReWalk announced publication of their clinical trial, http://ir.rewalk.com/news-releases/news-release-details/rewalk-announces-publication-restore-powered-exo-suit-clinical, which showed that participants who had their stroke many years before benefited from just five sessions in the device. This means that many people who thought their stroke recovery was complete could still improve if they came back in for treatment. This report highlights 5 U.S. leading rehabilitations institutions that participated in the clinical trial, located in Chicago, IL; Boston, MA; Elkins Park, PA; Houston, TX; and West Orange, NJ.

The Carilion Clinic Outpatient Therapies (located at 2331 Franklin Road, Roanoke, Virginia, 24014) already has a ReWalk Exoskeleton System and are able to train patients on its use and potential acquisition for personal use outside the rehab center. They will now be adding a ReStore exosuit to their rehabilitation program.

The ReStore system is on site at the Carilion Clinic! Training of rehabilitation therapists has scheduled and will take place over the next 2-3 weeks! Therapies using the ReWalk System will begin once the staff returns and the clinic is carefully prepared to safely treat patients.

Previously I discussed the China Human Trial and other trials readers may be interested. The Mayo Clinic trial using adipose stem cells is now evidently delayed to start Jan 2021, Adipose Stem Cells for Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury (CELLTOP). ClinicalTrials.gov.); as is Dr. Wise Young’s using mononuclear blood stem cells and lithium, coupled with intensive physical therapy (https://norcalsci.org/news/2019/3/6/breaking-news-search-for-sci-cure-important-clinical-trial-targeting-chronic-complete-injuries-to-start-in-us).

Recently, I checked on the status of spinal cord electro-stimulation. We originally became interested in these systems about 12 years ago when it was approved as a means of controlling neuropathic pain. Research and development has progressed considerably since then. Dr. Gregoire Courtine, a French neuroscientist, is having success helping SCI patients walk again using a system he calls STImulation Movement Overground (STIMO). There are several videos and articles online. I liked the following: Help paralyzed people walk again - Rolex Awards. For more information about him, his research laboratory and research team, go to: and epfl.ch.

Additionally, the McGuire Research Institute evidently started a human trial of epidural stimulation, followed by rehab using exoskeleton training starting January 2020 with a projected completion date of December 30 2021. Information is available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04105296.

After years of witnessing the results of various human trials and the effects of rigorous physical therapy, I have come to realize that even with successful results of various surgical procedures, rigorous physical therapy will always be key for patients to regain their mobility and independence. For this reason, our goal is to direct future donations to our partners as we pioneer fielding more ReWalk systems and enable many heroic people to safely walk again.

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January 11. 2020 Partnership with ReWalk Robotics, Ltd.

Thank you to all who supported the House of Miracles the past year enabling us to make a difference for many in the future.

We are starting an exciting new initiative by teaming with ReWalk Robotics, Inc. As a non-profit our goal is to raise $100,000 to support an international initiative to meet the varying needs of those with spinal cord injuries and other neurodegenerative diseases.

For those aware of ReWalk Robotics, you know they have fielded their ReWalk 6.0 Exoskeleton with FDA clearance for personal and rehabilitation use in the United States and overseas. They now have certified centers, all with email contact addresses. If you are interested, you can contact them and my experience is they will quickly reply to your email or provide a phone number for a local office POC.

This company’s ReStore Exo-suit also FDA approved for stroke rehabilitation was first fielded approximately six months ago. Once training centers have been certified as capable of safely meeting the needs of patients, this system will then be made available for patient use at the certified training centers. Although the focus when seeking FDA approval was helping recovering stroke patients, we see the potential applicability for SCI patients with comparable disabilities.

For this reason, our intent is to work with ReWalk Robotics in helping make the ReStore system available to SCI patients who have already undergone rigorous physical therapy or possess considerable assisted mobility. Perhaps these individuals will transition from the ReWalk Exoskeleton system, to the lighter, less structural ReStore Exo-Suit. These systems are designed to potentially ensure that although the individual may lack full lower body strength, they can feel secure in knowing they can walk long distances without fear of falling and incurring resultant injury.

Once we identify a certified rehabilitation center in the US and overseas, donations will be used to help SCI individuals and others with neurodegenerative diseases obtain access to ReWalk Robotics, Inc. systems.  

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November 18, 2019 Executive Directors Update

… To Hope … To Walk … To Live …

My time in China the past 9-months has validated that an ongoing, rigorous physical therapy program is key to recovery from a spinal cord injury and inhibiting the effects of other neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s. We must do what we can to make this type of program available to patients at times for a year or more dependent upon the level, seriousness and type of injury or disease.

I have now participated in a human trial underway at the Tongren Hospital, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Kunming, China since March, 2019, and about to return 18 November to once again provide support for my wife Michele, who has been there the entire time. She continues to make gradual improvement after performing extensive physical therapy, at times 6-8 hours a day, five days a week.

There are actually over 30 patients in the Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Center which include patients with ages spanning from 6 years to mid-80s. Watching all these people working so hard, many with family members fully involved in helping their father, mother, husband, wife, brother, sister, or grandparent accomplish the physical therapy makes you realize that there really is reason for hope that many of these people will walk again. Certainly some will walk unassisted, others may use a 4 point walker or a cane or even a wheeled walker; they are definitely more mobile and live independent than when they arrived.

At times I had time to talk to many medical experts and discuss their various theories about how best to treat a spinal cord injury and neurodegenerative diseases. My experience is that many patients and their caregiving family members often take a crash course in how best to address this injury and there are many diverse theories and research programs underway or about to begin which include using adipose fat cells, (Mayo Clinic. Adipose Stem Cells for Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury (CELLTOP). ClinicalTrials.gov.); doses of umbilical cord mononuclear blood stem cells and lithium, coupled with intensive physical therapy (https://norcalsci.org/news/2019/3/6/breaking-news-search-for-sci-cure-important-clinical-trial-targeting-chronic-complete-injuries-to-start-in-us); Schwann cells, or embryonic stem cells. I mention these four because many human trials are mentioned when searching the internet and I know many of the 30 patients at the SCI Center have received one or more of these treatments and are able to use walking frames or other devices to walk. In addition, Drs in China do wide-scale use of a mouse nerve growth factor (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4468778/) with promising results in regenerating damaged nervous systems and reducing neuropathic pain. These doctors also use a neurotrophin available in Japan. As a result I now believe that the following three step process offers the best chance for recovery from a spinal cord injury. The sooner this process is initiated, the better.

  1. Whatever injury has occurred it must be treated by an expert neurosurgeon who fully understands how inflammation causes scarring of the spinal cord and so takes steps to minimize this scarring from occurring. This is usually done using emergency procedures. If time has passed since the original treatment has occurred, say one year or more and the patient is still experiencing disability as a hemi-plegic, paraplegic or quadriplegic then there are expert surgeons who now can clean the spinal cord of cysts or another impediment and prevent scarring from recurring. I know Dr Liu in China is fully capable of doing this because many of the 30 patients there have received treatment by him.

  2. The spinal cord injury must have adipose fat cells, Schwann cells, or embryonic stem cells or another anti-inflammatory matter properly applied at the injury site.

  3. As soon as physically possible, the patient must begin physical therapy, if need be strapped to a standing table so the brain and body can begin trying to communicate with the body parts affected by the spinal cord injury. The SCI Center has a standard 10 step protocol for treating the patients which includes electro stimulation, acupuncture, and an hour of intense physical therapy each day where a highly trained Doctor/therapist massages the affected body part and has an individual designed method for re-enervating disabled nerves and muscles. How long the patient must undergo therapy is different because one thing experience has shown is that a spinal cord injury at the same vertebrae level can produce different disability amongst patients.

However, physical therapy is key to the future health and rehabilitation of the patient. It requires hard work. There are some patients at the SCI Center who have started their third stint there because the physical therapy is demanding and they need to return to their homes and work. But at least they know they can return to the center and once again begin the rigorous therapy program. There are few if any SCI Center like this in the United States or the European Union given patient demand and at times lack of insurance coverage which typically will cover therapy costs as long as the patient shows signs of improvement.

However, patients will plateau and may not show signs of improvements until weeks or months later. If physical therapy is stopped, the patient will likely digress losing the improvements, mobility, and any independence that might have obtained. Rigorous physical therapy is hard work, often boring and maybe painful. For this reason the patient requires access to a well-trained physical therapist. I say access because many patient are unable to live near one of the major SCI treatment centers in the United States or elsewhere and so then they must incur room and board and basic caregiver costs that again may not be covered by their insurance.

This is where we can make a difference. Donations to the House of Miracles will be used to help patients obtain rigorous physical therapy assuming they agree to follow a rigorous therapy protocol at an SCI or Treatment Center capable of providing the therapy.

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