News
07/21/2008
2008 Erica Nader Award
On June 21, 2008 the 5th Annual Erica Nader Award was presented to Dr. Jerry Silver at the 2008 ASIA Conference in San Diego, CA.
The Erica Nader Award is generously funded by the Viscogliosi Brothers LLC and is awarded for breakthrough research in spinal cord regeneration.
Read Erica Nader’s presentation speech at the 2008 ASIA conference award ceremony.
Nothing Is Impossible
Difficult things take a long time, impossible things a little longer. ~Author Unknown
This quote begs the question, what is impossible? Many of us have been faced with what seems to be an “impossible” situation at some time in our lives. The odds are stacked against you, the goal seems almost out of reach and you may even question your own ability to make the impossible—possible.
The Erica Nader Award is generously funded through the Viscogliosi Brothers, LLC for breakthrough research in the area of spinal cord regeneration. Now in it’s fifth year this award has provided much needed funding for scientists leading the way in the field of spinal cord injury recovery. This award also strives to serve as a beacon of hope for those of us in the spinal cord injured communities, our family and friends.
In October of 2001 after a car accident left me with a C6/7 spinal cord injury the list of “impossibles” began to stack up. The list that slowly compiled in my head of things I would never be able to do, including walking, were all confirmed by my doctors. Many of the “impossibles” on my list such as sitting up independently, transferring independently and pushing a manual chair have all been moved to my “possible” list.
Six years ago when my family and I were looking for spinal cord injury recovery programs the words spinal cord injury and recovery were hardly even uttered in the same sentence. At that time only 2 or 3 programs existed in the world. Now, not even seven years since we first searched the Internet for “Spinal cord injury recovery” there are nearly two dozen SCI recovery-exercise based programs in the world with over half of those in the USA.
Those of us involved in intense, exercise based SCI recovery programs are making progress towards our individual goals of recovering from our injuries. We dedicate in some cases 25 hours or more a week to various “non-traditional” therapies, we sacrifice our time, money and relationships all in the pursuit of a recovery that we know is real. As a participant in such a program and the owner of a Detroit based SCI recovery facility my hope for recovery is reaffirmed daily by either my own progress or that of our clients.
This morning I have come before you to present this award on behalf of the Viscogliosi Brothers, my family and the SCI community. I have also come with a message from the “front lines”-
The SCI community is ready for recovery- with hard work and determination we are making progress everyday but we need your help to finish the job. Now more than ever the SCI community understands that recovery doesn’t come in a pill or a syringe – recovery starts as a whisper in our minds that is heard by our bodies.
This year’s recipient of the Erica Nader Award, Dr. Jerry Silver, knows a thing or two about overcoming the “impossible”. Dr. Silver has developed a micro transplantation technique which enables the injection of adult neurons into normal or lesioned white matter tracts of the adult CNS, without causing the formation of additional reactive astroglial associated inhibitory molecules via the transplantation itself. In so doing, Dr. Silver discovered that adult nerve cells could regenerate their axons with high efficiency and at high rates of speed. We are excited about his work and look forward to learning more.
While my ultimate goal of a full recovery and walking again has not yet been reached, it is within sight. The road to recovery is long and it is not traveled alone. I’d like to thank the Viscogliosi Brothers for generously supporting the Erica Nader Award, the ASIA conference for embracing spinal cord injury regeneration research and this year’s recipient, Dr. Jerry Silver, for challenging the paradigms and for his breakthrough research bringing us one step closer to the recovery so many of us seek.
07/11/2008
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US!
One year ago today, Friday July 11, three trainers, one family, three clients and a doctor started the vision of creating the best SCI Recovery program in the world
One year later we are so happy to have expanded the WALK THE LINE family and ARE the best Recovery program in the world!
Thank you to all who have been a part of this wonderful experience.
04/27/2008
Yoga @ Walk The Line 2pm
Walk The Line along with Mindy Eisenberg and colleagues of Yoga Spirit & Wellness will be hosting an Introduction to Adaptive Yoga on Sunday April 27 from 2-4pm at Walk the Line in Ferndale.
This class will be free to attendees. A donation of $10 to benefit the MS Foundation is requested but not required for participation.
We will also need volunteers to assist with transfers and positioning throughout the class.
Please RSVP to .
Feel free to call (248-691-4540) or email for further info or questions.
04/19/2008
Reiki @ Walk The Line
Thanks to the generosity of Jen VanderWal and her colleagues for the donation of their time and energy, Walk The Line is happy to be hosting monthly free reiki shares.
Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by “laying on hands” and is based on the idea that an unseen “life force energy” flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one’s “life force energy” is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.
Reiki treats the whole person including body, emotions, mind and spirit creating many beneficial effects that include relaxation and feelings of peace, security and wellbeing. Many have reported miraculous results.
Reiki is a simple, natural and safe method of spiritual healing and self-improvement that everyone can use. It has been effective in helping virtually every known illness and malady and always creates a beneficial effect. It also works in conjunction with all other medical or therapeutic techniques to relieve side effects and promote recovery.
Join us for friends, refreshments and energy! For more information and/or directions please refer to the contact us page.
04/05/2008
Yoga with Matthew Sanford, author of “Waking”
It took a devastating car accident, paralysis from the chest down, and dependence on a wheelchair before I truly realized the importance of my body.-Matthew Sanford
Matthew has dedicated his life to sharing the fundamental importance of the mind-body relationship. For him, mind-body integration is not just a personal health strategy. It is a movement of consciousness. To take hold, it must be both practical and spiritual, both inspirational and pragmatic.
Matthew teaches yoga to people of all abilities but he is a pioneer in adapting yoga for people living with disabilities.
On Saturday April 5 Matthew Sanford was generous enough to host a private yoga session for Walk The Line clients and trainers at the Johnny Kest Center For Yoga in West Bloomfield, MI.
Walk The Line is looking forward to integrating yoga into our recovery philosophy as well as hosting adaptive yoga classes open to the SCI and disabled community.
02/18/2008
Reiki at Walk The Line
Last month Walk The Line To SCI Recovery hosted the first, of hopefully many, reiki shares. Jennifer VanderWal and colleagues donated their time and healing energy to offer Walk The Line friends and family complimentary healing sessions.
Everyone had such a great time that Jen has offered to do it again!
Saturday March 1, 2008 @2pm FREE reiki share at Walk The Line in Ferndale.
01/30/2008
Walk The Line in HOUR Detroit Magazine
Walk The Line & Erica Nader are featured in the February issue of HOUR Detroit magazine on page 34.
The Insider feature focuses on Nader’s road to recovery from her SCI sustained in 2001. In July of 2007 Nader opened Walk The Line To SCI Recovery in Ferndale to offer a place of heatlh, wellness and recovery.
