A man who was paralyzed from the neck down after a surfing accident seven years ago is now able to stand and walk on his own, thanks in part to a potentially groundbreaking stem cell treatment.

Chris Barr was the very first patient in a Mayo Clinic study that collected stem cells from his own stomach fat, expanded them in a laboratory to 100 million cells and then injected the cells into Barr’s lumbar spine.

Spinal cord injuries are the most difficult to treat. To treat paralysis a vast amount of stem cells are needed, and they must be positioned with precision long enough to do their work. It is wonderful to see more studies being progressed and new hope for those with spinal cord injuries.  Watch this Good Morning America video here:  

Watch video here:

https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/wellness/video/new-hope-spinal-cord-injuries-108703900