News
Latest News in the Disability World
by The 360 Team

Experimental Treatment for Spinal Sufferers Shows Promise
Scientists at the University of Cambridge are set to begin trials on a treatment for spinal injuries that may help damaged nerves regenerate.

The treatment employs a bacterial enzyme called chondroitinase that digests molecules in the scar tissue that forms after an injury, allowing some damaged nerves to rebuild. The enzyme is also reported to encourage plasticity in treated areas, allowing healthy nerve fibers to grow around and bypass the injured nerves. Combining chondroitinase with rehabilitation in patients with recent spinal injuries was shown in early tests to bring about more positive results than administering either treatment alone.

In an interview with the BBC, the lead researcher on the study, Professor James Fawcett, said, “Chondroitinase offers us hope in two ways; firstly it allows some nerve fibers to regenerate and secondly it enables other nerves to take on the role of those fibers that cannot be repaired. Along with rehabilitation we are very hopeful that at last we may be able to offer paralyzed patients a treatment to improve their condition.” Sponsors of the research, the UK-based charity Action Medical Research, have called the work “groundbreaking,” though experts caution that the current results are far from conclusive, pending more extensive trials.



House Passes Mental Health Bill
Insured people seeking treatment for mental health issues, including depression and addiction, may soon have a new level of protection. Under a bill passed last week by the House of Representatives, businesses whose health care policies extend to both mental and physical illnesses will be required to offer equal coverage for each category.

Supporters of the “Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act”—named for the late Minnesota senator—hail the measure as an important step toward erasing the stigma of mental health issues, by creating what they term “mental health parity.” Wellstone’s son, David, called the act “a civil rights bill for people with mental illnesses and chemical addiction. It forces insurance companies to treat them as they treat others.” The bill is a bipartisan measure, co-sponsored by Democrat Patrick Kennedy, who has endured a public struggle with alcoholism and depression, and Republican Jim Ramstad, also a recovering alcoholic.

The Senate passed a more limited version of the bill in September that allows insurers some discretion in the types of disorders covered. It was endorsed by business and insurance representatives, as well as the White House, and the latest move means the two sides will need to be reconciled before either bill becomes law. Opponents of the House bill argue that the requirements will put an undue burden on businesses by dramatically raising health care costs, an outcome they fear will cause some employers to drop health coverage altogether.



Wheel Futures
A new report that looks at trends in the wheelchair market estimates that the market for wheelchairs will grow to $3.2 billion dollars globally by 2010. The study, which was published by market research company Global Industry Analysts, looks at trends in the wheelchair industry over the period of 2000-2010. The analysts project that the annual growth of the market will be 6.57 percent per year, with the total number of manual and powered units in 2010 exceeding 4.2 million. This growth is predicated on the aging of the baby boomer generation, as well as greater enforcement of laws that require more accessible workplaces.

Though manual wheelchairs continue to be the dominant model worldwide, boosted by the increasing number of charities and NGOs that distribute manual chairs to disabled residents of poorer countries, the study shows an upsurge in the number of powered scooters, which are expected to grow by 8 percent annually. Another trend noted is an increase in the use of new technology and materials to create lightweight and customized chairs.

The study says that the greatest challenge to the wheelchair industry currently is the declining rate of reimbursement for units under increasingly restrictive Medicare and Medicaid policies. These restrictions cut significantly into the market for upgraded and customized models. The complete report can be purchased at http://www.strategyr.com/Wheelchairs_Market_Report.asp.



Hines’ Star Ascending
Breaking into the music business is a tough goal for any young performer, but Canadian singer-songwriter Justin Hines is no stranger to adversity. Hines has Larsen Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that affects the joints and has kept him in a wheelchair for all his life. The disease has not proved a barrier to his career, however, and Hines is currently on tour to promote his first album Sides, which features 14 folk-influenced songs about struggles with life and love that nevertheless carry a message of hope.

The singer cites classic tracks by Harry Chapin, Cat Stevens and James Taylor among his major influences. His first single, “Wish You Well,” has received national airplay, and Hines has been nominated for a 2008 Canadian Independent Music Award.

Among several upcoming events, Hines will be performing at the two-year countdown ceremony for the 2010 Paralympic Games in Whistler, Colo. on March 12 from 3:30 to 6:30 pm and at the Abilities Expo in Edison, N.J. on March 28. More information about the artist and his music can be found at www.justinhines.com.



New Accessible Apartments Available in Philadelphia
The affordable housing crunch continues to impact the disabled, but a few urban areas are seeing some relief. People seeking affordable, accessible housing in Philadelphia have a few more options to explore with the opening last month of the Inglis Apartments at Elmwood, a fully wheelchair-accessible complex in the Southwestern section of the city.

The three-story building is located at 6200 Eastwick Avenue and features a total of 40 apartments—31 one-bedroom units and 9 three-bedroom units—as well as on-site laundry facilities, a common community room, and off-street parking for residents. It was designed by architecture firm, Cecil Baker & Partners and was funded in part by grants from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency and the Philadelphia Office of Housing and Community Development. Inglis will offer financial assistance via rental subsidies to some qualified applicants, reducing the cost of the apartments by as much as 30 percent. With the opening of this new building, Inglis now controls 216 units of accessible housing in the city, with an additional 50 apartments still in development.



Posing Views
Stand aside Tyra Banks! The British television network BBC3 has announced it is developing a new series based on the popular U.S. reality show, America’s Next Top Model, but featuring disabled women.

The show, Britain’s Missing Top Model, will follow eight contestants as they train for a future in the fashion industry, learning how to pose, work the catwalk and handle the pressure while they room together and compete for the show’s top spot. The winner will receive a photo spread in glossy fashion magazine and representation from a modeling agency.

BBC3 controller Danny Cohen says the station’s goal for the show is to “challenge the artificial boundaries that seem to exist in the beauty and fashion industries.” The series will air this summer, and is sponsored by Ouch!, the BBC’s disability website. Models-in-waiting, women aged 18-30, can apply for the show until March 17 at www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/models.