Hoping for a cure for paralysis

A Southland man is working alongside some famous New Zealanders in hopes of finding a cure for spinal cord injury paralysis.

Nick Mannix, who was left paralysed after an incident in Australia, was approached by the CatWalk Trust to tell his story and encourage research.

He is keen to help find a cure for paralysis.

‘‘It’s definitely something that I believe can happen,’’ Mannix said.

‘‘But everything costs money, it’s tough to get things funded.’’

He, along with other New Zea- landers such as Richie McCaw, Toni Street and Kylie Bax have recorded online videos with personal messages highlighting the importance of spinal cord research.

Mannix was living in Western Australia celebrating New Year’s Eve in 2014, when a car backed over him.

The driver, unaware of what had happened, then drove forward over him.

The impact dislodged parts of vertebrae in his neck and impacted against his spinal cord, leaving him paralysed from the waist down.

Mannix travelled back to New Zealand and spent a few months in the spinal unit of Burwood Hospital, before returning to his home town Invercargill to recover.

But Mannix does not let injury get him down.

He has started his own clothing line – Brothers Keep On Walking – and is working with his mother and friends to get it going.

Mannix came up with the idea after his friends stuck by his side from the get go.

‘‘It’s about a band of brothers and our loyalty. We keep believing and looking forward. The boys have been there since day one.’’

There will also be an option to donate to the CatWalk Trust at the his online check out, he said.

Mannix is hoping the line will be launched in the next few weeks.

The CatWalk Trust conducts research for spinal cord injury.

New Zealand has one of the highest rates of spinal cord injury in the western world, primarily impacting young men.

As part of his journey, Mannix is continuing ‘‘conductive education’’ which is about regaining some function and keeping the body fit, ready and with a memory for how to walk, all in the hopes that in time, science will deliver more options.

For an automatic $3 donation, text WALK to 2448.