Kerri-Anne Kennerley's appeal for ground-breaking research
Aussie TV star Kerrie-Anne Kennerley has revealed how her late husband inspired her to push for the government to fund “ground-breaking” research into a new treatment for Aussies living with spinal cord injuries.
Appearing on Sunrise, Kerrie-Anne said watching the love of her life physically decline prior to his death in 2019, three years after falling off a balcony, was “shocking and horrible”.
“Anybody who has been in that position of watching a person they love almost disintegrate, not being able to push a button, work a remote, feed themselves, dress themselves, knows that it’s 24/7 care,” she said on Tuesday’s show.
“It’s shocking, it’s terrible, but people live through it.”
Kerrie-Anne is pushing for people to sign a petition calling for the government to fund a new therapy called neurostimulation.
The treatment involves sending electrical impulses through pads that sit on the skin over the spinal cord, and is coupled with physical training to rewire impaired neural pathways.
SpinalCureAustralia, the organisation behind the petition, are seeking $46 million in federal funding over the next five years to establish a research and treatment program for affected Aussies.
“This research is ground-breaking and we’re really hoping that within five years people who suffer paraplegia or quadriplegia will actually get the ability to be able to walk,” Kerri-Anne said.
“That’s how far this could go. It’s just such incredibly important research.”
The star said she has become “passionate” about the cause due to her own “deep personal experience” with spinal cord injuries.
“Imagine somebody who has never walked or hasn’t walked in ten or eleven years taking a step,” she said.
“All we need people to do is sign the petition, we need to let the pollies know that this is important!”
To sign the petition, click here.
Image: Getty Images