HOLLAND The year was 1992, and Dick Hoyt and his son, Rick, wanted to run and bike across the country to raise funds for a charity for cerebral palsy a condition 30-year-old Rick developed at birth. But cerebral palsy didnt want anything to do with a trek across the United States. And, uh, so this insurance company that was going to finance us backed out with four weeks to go before so we had to refinance our house here so we are able to pick up the expenses, Dick Hoyt recalled recently, sitting next to his quadriplegic son at their home. Twenty-one years later, after running, biking and swimming together in some of the worlds highest-profile competitions, 73-year-old father and 51-year-old son are among the most recognized faces at the Boston Marathon. One of the races sponsors recently unveiled a life-size statue in their honor in the town where the race starts. Another backer, Timex, pushed so strongly to be identified with the duo that it would allow them to talk to The Associated Press only if the article mentioned the two are promoting the watch makers social media campaign. Theyve gone from being skeptics dogged by veiled references about … Continue reading →

Makayla Normans doctor pleaded no contest to three misdemeanors Friday, becoming the last of five people to be convicted of crimes in connection with the 14-year-olds starvation death. Margaret Edwards, 51, of Trotwood was convicted of three counts of failure to provide for a functionally impaired person. She will be sentenced May 16 in Montgomery County Juvenile Court. Makayla, who had cerebral palsy, could not speak, move, or feed herself. She weighed 28 pounds when she died March 1, 2011. Her body was covered with filth and open bedsores, her hair and eyebrows were infested with lice, and her diaper and colon filled with feces, according to Dayton police. Makaylas mother and her nurse are already serving prison terms. Two other nurses who were to supervise her care have also been convicted of felonies. This case is heartbreaking, said Montgomery County Prosecutor Mathias H. Heck Jr. What was done to Makayla should never be done to any person, let alone a child. She was totally dependent on these dependents for her care and they failed her miserably. Edwards was required to provide care and treatment for Makayla and to inspect the living conditions of her home, Heck said. She also … Continue reading →

Scientists at CWRU School of Medicine Discover New Technique that Holds Promise for the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis and Cerebral Palsy Newswise Researchers at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine have discovered a technique that directly converts skin cells to the type of brain cells destroyed in patients with multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and other so-called myelin disorders. This discovery appears today in the journal Nature Biotechnology. This breakthrough now enables on demand production of myelinating cells, which provide a vital sheath of insulation that protects neurons and enables the delivery of brain impulses to the rest of the body. In patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), cerebral palsy (CP), and rare genetic disorders called leukodystrophies, myelinating cells are destroyed and cannot be replaced. The new technique involves directly converting fibroblasts - an abundant structural cell present in the skin and most organs - into oligodendrocytes, the type of cell responsible for myelinating the neurons of the brain. Its cellular alchemy, explained Paul Tesar, PhD, assistant professor of genetics and genome sciences at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine and senior author of the study. We are taking a readily accessible and abundant cell and completely switching its identity to become … Continue reading →