Perry Cross miracle: I can breathe again

27May08

INSPIRATIONAL Gold Coast quadriplegic Perry Cross has undergone controversial embryonic stem cell treatment in India which he says has enabled him to breathe on his own.

Mr Cross, a well-known motivational speaker and author, is the most high-profile patient to have travelled to India to be injected with embryonic stem cells which are banned in Australia -- and most of the West.

``After 14 years of no change at all since my accident, I can now breathe on my own,'' he told Sky News.

``You know, you put your lottery numbers in every week and I feel by coming here, my lottery numbers have finally come up."

The former TSS student broke his neck in a rugby game in 1994, then aged 19, and was left a quadriplegic on life support, unable to move from the neck down.

For the past 14 years Mr Cross has been confined to a wheelchair, connected to a ventilator to breathe and has 24-hour-a-day care.

He met Superman actor Christopher Reeve and became the actor's ambassador for stem cell research in Australia, has been a vocal advocate of the treatment.

He set up the Perry X Foundation to raise money to help find new ways to fight paralysis which is supported by star Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist.

Mr Cross was treated in India by Dr Geeta Shroff, who has earnt a reputation as being a maverick in the medical world for developing her innovative treatment almost single-handedly.

She has also drawn criticism for refusing to publish her research, methods and techniques.

Dr Shroff has two hospitals in the capital New Delhi where she treats residents with terminal or incurable conditions. An increasing number of international patients - many from Australia, America and Britain where there are stricter controls on the use of embryonic stem cell treatment - are also among her patients.

Mr Cross is unconcerned by the controversy surrounding Dr Shroff.

"I cannot tell you how restricting my life is in so many ways," he says.
"I can't breathe on my own, I can't bathe on my own. I can't swim or get wet, the list of things I can't do are a mile long. Why wouldn't I try everything? "

The team of carers who look after him 24/7 have been amazed at his progress in the past two months since he travelled to India and started receiving daily injections.

``This is massive,'' said one, "We have tried so many times over the years to get him off the ventilator but never could. It's amazing."

Mr Cross says he is hopeful that with more stem cell treatment he may even be able to develop movement elsewhere in his body.

"Even if I managed to move a finger or one hand, it would be worth it," he says.

Under Indian law, Dr Shroff is allowed to treat the terminally ill and those with incurable conditions such as Parkinson's Disease, spinal injury and Alzheimers.