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After suffering paralysis from an injury in a trampoline park, Landon Smith is determined to walk again. His acceptance in a clinical trial in Miami reinforces his confidence.
At the Reyu Paralysis Recovery Center, Smith is seduced by exercises such as lines and sit-ups on Monday. Each movement is part of his plan to regain the full movement of his body.
Smith began looking for ways to walk again just weeks after suffering an incomplete C5 spinal cord injury after jumping into a moss pit in a trampoline park at Sherwood Park.
"It really helped me reach that position and I think without that state of mind, I would not go to Miami in three weeks," Smith said.
Now, he is preparing for another change in his life. He moved to Miami after being accepted into a clinical trial called Miami Project, which required him to live and train for 10 months.
Landon Smith focuses on the ranks at the Reyu Paralysis Center. The 20-year-old will move to Miami in October to launch a 10-month clinical trial called the Miami Project. (Trevor Wilson / CBC)
The trial will take Schwann cells from Smith's calf and three months later they will be injected into his spine. He will then be monitored throughout his stay to see how the procedure affects his body. Smith is the youngest person to participate in the test and the first Canadian.
"It's not a" if I walk, it's a "when I walk" and I think it will speed up the process, "Smith said.
Smith understands that the results of the trial vary from one individual to another. Follow-ups are expected over the next two years to see how the ability to control one's body changes.
He hopes his efforts will inspire others who have had spinal cord injuries to continue to strive to walk again and participate in similar medical trials.
"To raise awareness and, hopefully, to think about spinal cord injuries someday," he said. "Just a fix as a kind of broken leg."
Lobbying for regulation
Landon's mother, Brenda Smith – while focusing on her son's recovery and temporary relocation to Miami – is lobbying the Alberta government and the federal government to regulate trampoline parks.
In January 2018, 46-year-old Jay Greenwood died after jumping into a moss pit in a trampoline park in Richmond, British Columbia. At the time, the Smiths were in Miami and were working for Landon to be accepted into the trial. It was at this point that Brenda became determined to ensure that the trampoline parks were subject to strict safety rules.
"It's the right thing to do," said Brenda Smith. "I could sit quietly and we could let Landon go to school and you know how to worry about Landon alone but I know that after seeing the guy arrive in BC, I'm not sure he's going to be there." had a stomach ache. "
Brenda Smith, Landon's mom, is lobbying the federal and provincial governments to regulate trampoline parks. (Trevor Wilson / CBC)
She says she asked to speak to the Alberta Minister of Municipal Affairs about the regulations, but that has not happened yet.
As for Landon, he leaves for Miami in about a month. The Miami project covers housing costs, but the family estimates it will cost nearly $ 100,000 for medical care and living expenses. The family has raised $ 23,000 up here, but is seeking more help through a fundraiser on Sept. 22 and at GoFundMe.
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