Stewart VanAlstine's Story

VanAlstine at the Capitol lawn in Lansing

by Stewart VanAlstine
Charlotte, Mich.

This is my story. My name is Stewart VanAlstine of Charlotte, MI, a small town about 20 miles south of Lansing . I am 58 years old and a 14-year quadriplegic. In 1993, I broke my neck while monkeying around in a push and shove game with co-workers in the construction industry.

My neck was broken at the C4-C5 level, leaving me paralyzed from the chest down. I have no use of my hands; I have to wear wrist splits to keep my wrists straight. I am confined to my wheelchair.

My neck was broken at the C4-C5 level, leaving me paralyzed from the chest down. I have no use of my hands; I have to wear wrist splits to keep my wrists straight. I am confined to my wheelchair.

The hardest part of my injury is not being able to do the activities I used to enjoy with Karen, my wife of 36 years, my son Troy, my daughter Tina (Bliesener) and our four grandchildren - such as riding a bike, going on a walk or salmon fishing for a week every year in Manistique.

After a five-month stay in the hospital I began to mend. My healing process was accompanied by many different emotions and the realization that life goes on.

But I had to find something to do with my time and pursue an interest that I enjoy. After seeing many doctors in Lansing and Ann Arbor, I joined a list of volunteers in Ann Arbor to become a stem cell research participant and advocate for stem cell research.

The overwhelming majority of people I meet support stem cell research.

While I am not optimistic that researchers will find a cure for my condition in my lifetime, I am not going to let anybody pop my balloon and say it won't happen. I am optimistic that researchers within the next generation will be able to treat others who may unfortunately suffer injuries similar to my own.

Some day your loved ones or our troops may need stem cell surgery. Many others also could benefit from this important science. So let's get going. I am not going to stop until I get stem cell surgery….and then the salmon in Manistique had better watch out!