Bob Yant, the founder of Cure Medical, has personally made a positive impact on the world of spinal cord injuries. Bob continues to strive for a cure to assist people with spinal cord injury and neurological disorders.
Although Bob, a C4-5 Quadriplegic, has personally experienced a drastic loss in body function, he believes that enough hard work and research can lead to a cure for spinal cord injuries. He seeks an ultimate cure that will restore all function due to severe injury and damage.
Yant: Coping with my paralysis was very tough and I had to mentally build myself up.
The first year of living with my injury was extremely difficult. It is not easy to come back into the real world and live in a new and different body.
It took me about a year to effectively cope with my situation with the help of my girlfriend, brother, parents and friends. I’m very fortunate to have such a wonderful support system . Anything physical was almost impossible right after my injury. Someone was always there to care for me.
I needed help with my bowel program, catheterization , getting in and out of my wheelchair , getting in and out of bed, and preparing food . I could not perform simple, everyday tasks.
This was devastating because I was always an independent and active person. I have never grown accustomed to relying on others to help me go to the bathroom—that has been one of the most difficult changes.
Once I felt mentally able, I worked for non-profit organizations that dealt with spinal cord injuries. When I was in the hospital, I read an article about electrically stimulating the nerves in the peripheral nervous system, and how it allowed those with serious spinal cord injuries to walk.
Scientists aren’t researching this much anymore, but at the time, they used crude computers to orchestrate the stimulation of peripheral nerve muscles. The main researcher behind this was Jerrold Petrofsky . Nan Davis was the first person who stood up from her wheelchair to walk when her nerve muscles were stimulated.
However, the ability to walk was not permanent.
When the demonstration ended, Nan would sit back down and return to her life in a wheelchair. I was enthralled with Petrofsky’s research, which led me to my interest in nerve regeneration studies.
My dream is to one day develop a method to regenerate the damaged spinal cord and restore it—that way, we can perform the everyday tasks we used to do before the injury.
The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation Shares Why Bob Created Cure Medical
In the early 1980s, several small organizations around the country were raising money for spinal cord research. They came together and formed the American Paralysis Association, which caught my eye. I immediately became a volunteer and was excited to see where this opportunity would lead me.
The video below explains why Bob began a journey to create Cure Medical as the American Paralysis Association transformed into the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.
About Cure Medical
The Cure Commitment is unsurpassed in the industry. Only Cure Medical has committed to donating 10% of net profits to SCI scientific research. Cure Medical catheters are DEHP and BPA free. Simply by using new Cure Catheters® or Cure Catheter® Closed Systems for routine intermittent catheterization, you take part in the sustained pursuit of a cure. Learn more at www.curemedical.com.
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