A few months ago, we shared SpinalCure’s petition to fast track potentially life-changing treatment for people living with spinal cord injury (SCI). They petitioned the Federal Government to demonstrate nationwide support to fund Project Spark. If you missed it, you can read that whole story here.
We’re proud to share that on the 30th of March, Minister Greg Hunt accepted SpinalCure Australia’s 30,000-strong petition.
Off the back of several years of advocacy, the Federal Government has created a grants program specifically for neurostimulation of up to $10m to improve outcomes for people living with SCI.
What is neurostimulation?
Spinal cord neurostimulation, coupled with intensive exercise, aims to connect the brain and the spinal cord over the injury—almost like a jump-start for nerve connections. Some people who have received the treatment in studies overseas have been able to walk for the first time since their injury.
What is Project Spark?
Project Spark—so-called because of its potential to revolutionalise spinal cord injury, will build on the current ‘eWALK’ clinical trial based at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Sydney, with additional clinical trials for different spinal cord injury types and bodily functions, plus in-home and in-community studies across five states of Australia.
The petition is still open for signatures.
The petition remains open here to help demonstrate the need to all levels of government.