The thrill of genealogy, especially that branch of genealogy known as "One Name Studies", is that one frequently comes across stories of hope and inspiration. This week one such story broke in the course of my "Garvie One Name Studies" (GONS).
It is the story about Steve Garvie of Canada and the controversial new treatment for Multiple Sclerosis called Liberation Treatment or "blocked vein therapy" developed by Italy's Dr. Paolo Zamboni. It involves a relatively simple procedure to open a blocked vein from the brain. This is a story of a man set free from his limitations with the hope that others might be liberated too. (Photo Credit: The Globe and Mail)
Ten years ago Steve Garvie was diagnosed with secondary progressive MS. He had heard of Liberation Treatment. "The clock is ticking. People die. People with MS commit suicide at an alarming rate. There is no hope. So why don't we give them hope?" he wondered. So he approached vascular surgeon Dr. Sandy McDonald, who runs a clinic in Barrie, Ontario.
Steve says as soon as the vein was opened, he immediately felt warmth in the left side of his face and he could wiggle his toes.
"One of the nurses came over and said ‘Are you alright?' I said, ‘Yes, shake my hand.' She shook my left hand which was useless before," remembers Garvie.
"It was quite remarkable," remembers McDonald.
Much research still needs to be done on the procedure but there is hope. Steve wouldn't call it a cure but "I am about 75 per cent better than I was before," he says.
He now has "energy to burn", reports the Globe and Mail.
Ordinary people can make a difference the minute we realise that "the clock is ticking". I sense Steve Garvie's story is a parable too!
For more read:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paolo_Zamboni
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ms-patient-says-he-has-energy-to-burn-after-experimental-procedure/article1533739/
http://pensionpulse.blogspot.com/2010/04/liberation-war.html
©Colin G Garvie
HomePage: http://www.garvies.co.za
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