Researchers examine diving & disability in Cayman

(CNS): A team of spinal cord injury researchers, veterans and paralympic athletes will be visiting Cayman this week as part of a Johns Hopkins scientific medical study about the effects of SCUBA diving on people with disabilities. Teaming up with St Matthews University and Red Sail Sports, researchers from the US based medical school and the Cody Unser Foundation are aiming to also raise awareness about the research work and the power of sport in the rehabilitation process and the reintegration, rejuvenation of people living with a disability. There will be a public film screening of the movie "Cody: The First Steps", a documentary of the life and times of Cody Unser, who was paralyzed as a result of Transverse Myelitis, a rare spinal cord inflammation.

Since 1999 Cody, who is a certified diver, has won national acclaim for her work raising awareness and promoting the issues relating to disability.

St. Matthews University will be hosting the screening followed by a live panel discussion with doctors from the study, the dive teams and Cody.

The panel guest include Cody Unser from the documentary, who is also part of the medical study; Dr. Daniel Becker – MD, Head of Pediatric Restoration Therapy at Kennedy Krieger’s International Center for Spinal Cord Injury; Dr. Adam Kaplin – MD, PhD –Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology, and Principal Psychiatric Consultant to the Transverse Myelitis and Multiple Sclerosis Centers at Johns Hopkins and Al Kovak – Vice-President of Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), ex navy seals and scuba participant in Cody’s Great Scuba Adventure’s Operation Deep Down.

The public screening of the movie, which is narrated by Glenn Close, will take place on Monday 9 May at St. Matthews University campus at Leeward 3 Building on the West Bay Road at 7pm on a first come first save basis.