Read the transcript https://kesslerfoundation.org/sites/default/files/2025-07/Rewiring%20Hope_Epidural%20Stimulation%20for%20Spinal%20Cord%20Injury%20Recovery-Transcript.pdf

In this episode, we spotlight groundbreaking research in epidural spinal stimulation at Kessler Foundation’s Tim and Caroline Reynolds Center for Spinal Stimulation. This transformative therapy uses electrical impulses to help restore movement and autonomic functions—such as bladder control, blood pressure, and breathing—in people with paralysis. More than 70 individuals have contributed to this research, including Alexa Alvarez, who shared her journey after being diagnosed with acute transverse myelitis at age 21.

The Foundation’s work—developed in collaboration with the University of Louisville, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, and Medtronic—has led to FDA-approved technologies that are already changing lives. The episode also features the StimXS controller, a tablet-based device in development that offers users greater control over critical body functions.

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Links:

Read the full article, https://kesslerfoundation.org/2024-impact-report

Listen to the full report, https://soundcloud.com/kesslerfoundation/sets/kessler-foundation-impact-reports

Visit our website to learn more about the Tim and Caroline Reynolds Center for Spinal Stimulation, https://kesslerfoundation.org/research/tim-and-caroline-reynolds-center-spinal-stimulation

Gail Forrest, PhD, https://KesslerFoundation.org/aboutus/Gail%20Forrest

Claudia Angeli, PhD, https://KesslerFoundation.org/about-us/foundation-staff/claudia-angeli-phd

Enrico Rejc, PhD, https://KesslerFoundation.org/about-us/foundation-staff/enrico-rejc-phd

Steven Kirshblum, MD, https://KesslerFoundation.org/about-us/foundation-staff/steven-kirshblum-md

Interested in participating in our research remotely or in-person? Go to KesslerFoundation.org/join

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This podcast was recorded in July 2025 and was edited and produced by Joan Banks-Smith, Creative Producer for Kessler Foundation.