From
CNN. A demo of ReWalk is pictured.
A San Antonio teenager is taking part in an exciting medical study. She's helping test a device designed to help paraplegics walk on their own.
A high-speed, one car rollover accident in April 2008 changed Lainy Loyolas life forever.
“I don't remember my accident at all, but he lost control of the car and the car flipped four times and we were ejected out of the car.”
Lainy was airlifted to the hospital with a spinal cord injury. Lainy is now confined to a wheelchair, but uses a standing chair to help with her bone density and muscle tone.
“There are so many health benefits by standing that we take for granted. And then just even walking, to be able to walk and get the blood circulating.” Lainy said.
This spring, Lainy is heading to Philadelphia to take part in a groundbreaking study. At Moss rehab, she'll be helping to test Rewalk, the first commercially viable upright device that allows paraplegics to stand and even walk on their own. It's part computer, part robot, and all in all incredible.
At 18, Lainy is the youngest person and one of the firs women to help test Rewalk. She sees it as the first of many steps to wholeness.
“I'm young and there's a lot of medical breakthroughs going on right now, a lot of studies. I really think I'll walk again.”
While she waits for those medical breakthroughs, she's embracing a mechanical one. The Israeli company that developed the device hopes by getting wheelchair-bound patients upright, they can avoid many of the health-related problems of paraplegics.
“It's not going to replace the wheelchair. But it's another alternative.”
For lainy, the future is filled with hope, based on faith. Lainy is heading to moss rehab in Pennsylvania in May to try-out the new technology.
From CNN. A demo of ReWalk is pictured.