THE SPASTIC PARALYSIS RESEARCH FOUNDATION...

In 1952 a group of Kiwanians met with a researcher who explained to them what Spina Bifada was all about; a condition wherein a child is born with the spinal cord outside of their body. If not treated, the child will die within a few years. The Kiwanians decided to raise funds to help the researchers project. Over the years this led to several developments and the support of multiple research doctors. The first item developed by our researchers was the Diamond Knife. This is an instrument which allows surgeons to open the spinal column so that the spinal cord can be put back where it belongs. Sometimes this takes multiple operations, especially as the child grows, but would never have been possible if not for the help of our Foundation. The next item was a book called the Brain Atlas. Sometimes when a child undergoes multiple surgeries, the little connectors to the brain get disconnected. The Brain Atlas tells the doctors what to do. Kiwanis sponsored the Brain Atlas and placed it in every operating room in the United States at a cost of approximately $4,300.00 per volume. A few years ago, the Key Clubbers of the I-I District felt a book in an operating room was old fashioned and the information should be on a computer CD-ROM disk. They did not wait for the Foundation to fund this project, but raised approximately $50,000 and completed the project in nine months. Another item developed by one of our researchers was the MRI. When children have to go through multiple operations and, in turn, multiple x-rays, a condition of sterility can come about. Our researcher felt that there was a better way and developed the MRI, which does not require the X-Ray procedure. Another one of our researchers developed a procedure wherein, if the condition of Spina Bifada is detected in a fetus, the fetus can be operated on by laser surgery while still in the mothers womb. A small incision is made in the fetal sac and the laser surgery is thereby performed. There is a picture on the internet showing a tiny hand reaching out of the fetal sac, grabbing the finger of the surgeon. It certainly brings a strong message home to all of us. Our researchers have gone on to find out that in most cases a sufficient amount of folic acid in the mothers diet can prevent Spina Bifada. Thanks to this research and the dissemination of educational materials, Spina Bifada is becoming eradicated. There are still many other conditions of the neurological system of children which our researchers are working on. Ironically, this research is leading to developments in the area of Alzheimers Disease and may someday lead to a cure of this dreaded disease of senior citizens. You can truly be proud of what your Foundation has done for young and old in its over fifty years of existence.