Brian Keeter

Five years have passed since Brian’s near fatal car accident that left him paralyzed from below the waist.

As Brian continues to make considerable recovery gains, we knew that his journey would be a marathon. His days are long with intense workouts at Race to Walk near Charlotte, and hours of electrical stimulation to maintain muscle mass in his paralyzed legs. His perseverance and work ethic continues to be remarkable. His former basketball coach at NC State (Herb Sendek) wrote that Brian is the bravest and most determined individuals he has known.

It is very challenging to find the proper balance between striving for recovery from paralysis and preparing for a better life but with physical limitations. While many hours are spent in the rigors of recovery, Brian is also striving to reenter the work force full time. His part time work trials have been successful. He recently completed two online certification courses in Project Management and in Pharmaceutical Sales. Just recently, Brian launched a non-profit, the Walk On Foundation, whose mission is to promote an awareness of spinal cord injuries and the advancement of promising treatments for paralysis.

Brian will soon visit the University of Louisville, to meet with researchers who are successively using an electrical stimulation implant placed into the lower spine. The results thus far have been very promising for the few patients that have benefited from this experimental treatment.

Here are some of Brian’s 2013 highlights made possible by your generous contributions:

Brian completed his clinical trial at Shepherd Hospital in Atlanta, demonstrating the utility of advanced electrical stimulation. The results will soon be published, paving the way for others to benefit from this new therapy which reverses muscle atrophy in paralyzed limbs.

Brian’s muscle mass in his once wasted legs continue to be near normal size from using (2 hours/day, 6 days/week) the high tech electrical STIM device that was purchased from Austria.

Involuntary leg movements from electrical stimulation persist and have gotten stronger over the past year.

Your contributions also funded Brian’s enrollment in online university courses. Brian has earned certifications in Project Management and Pharmaceutical Sales which will improve his chances of returning full time to the workforce.

Brian was also able to attend the Spinal Cord Injury Centers at both John Hopkins and Rutgers Universities, where Brian undergoes treatment for secondary injuries and is evaluated for possible participation in new and developing therapies.