Blink of an Eye, a new podcast with Louise Phipps Senft, explores stories of trauma, loss, awakening, and epiphanies. Ms. Senft recounts her experience navigating a life-changing accident that rendered her son, Archer, paralyzed from the neck on down, and expands the story with interviews of those behind the scene. Told through real journal entries and inspiring guests, Blink of an Eye will inspire you to explore the true nature of our relationships and interconnectedness in the face of an event that changes everything.
Listen to the Latest Episodes
Episodes
Apr 29, 2026
Apr 29, 2026
15 min
#311 Revisiting Blink: I Didn't See This One Coming Trauma Healing Learnings
Before launching into a new season focused on cutting-edge medical science and breakthroughs in spinal cord injury research, Louise takes a moment to look back at where it all began. In these special revisiting episodes, listeners are invited to return to the origin story of the podcast and the deeply personal realities of spinal cord trauma with the intention to raise the awareness for researchers, funders and medical personnel of the reality of Spinal Cord Injury trauma on a family system . The episodes explore the profound healing learnings and the true experience of navigating life after a catastrophic injury from the perspective of both the patient and the family. By revisiting this raw human journey of devastation and resilience, we are reminded of exactly why this research matters so deeply and how these personal stories continue to inform, guide, and inspire the brilliant medical teams and scientists working tirelessly to change the future.
Sending love
Have an idea or feedback for me? Email me, at louise@blinkofaneye.org
#BeginAgain #HopeforEverything
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation, crisis and trauma interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com
Apr 22, 2026
Apr 22, 2026
36 min
#310 Revisiting Blink: The ABC Board
Before launching into a new season focused on cutting-edge medical science and breakthroughs in spinal cord injury research, Louise takes a moment to look back at where it all began. In these special revisiting episodes, listeners are invited to return to the origin story of the podcast and the deeply personal realities of spinal cord trauma with the intention to raise the awareness for researchers, funders and medical personnel of the reality of Spinal Cord Injury trauma on a family system . The episodes explore the profound healing learnings and the true experience of navigating life after a catastrophic injury from the perspective of both the patient and the family. By revisiting this raw human journey of devastation and resilience, we are reminded of exactly why this research matters so deeply and how these personal stories continue to inform, guide, and inspire the brilliant medical teams and scientists working tirelessly to change the future.
Sending love
Have an idea or feedback for me? Email me, at louise@blinkofaneye.org
#BeginAgain #HopeforEverything
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation, crisis and trauma interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com
Apr 15, 2026
Apr 15, 2026
57 min
#309 Revisiting Blink: Tunnel Vision
Before launching into a new season focused on cutting-edge medical science and breakthroughs in spinal cord injury research, Louise takes a moment to look back at where it all began. In these special revisiting episodes, listeners are invited to return to the origin story of the podcast and the deeply personal realities of spinal cord trauma with the intention to raise the awareness for researchers, funders and medical personnel of the reality of Spinal Cord Injury trauma on a family system . The episodes explore the profound healing learnings and the true experience of navigating life after a catastrophic injury from the perspective of both the patient and the family. By revisiting this raw human journey of devastation and resilience, we are reminded of exactly why this research matters so deeply and how these personal stories continue to inform, guide, and inspire the brilliant medical teams and scientists working tirelessly to change the future.
Sending love
Have an idea or feedback for me? Email me, at louise@blinkofaneye.org
#BeginAgain #HopeforEverything
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation, crisis and trauma interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com
Apr 8, 2026
Apr 8, 2026
44 min
#308 Revisiting Blink: He Talked with God
Before launching into a new season focused on cutting-edge medical science and breakthroughs in spinal cord injury research, Louise takes a moment to look back at where it all began. In these special revisiting episodes, listeners are invited to return to the origin story of the podcast and the deeply personal realities of spinal cord trauma with the intention to raise the awareness for researchers, funders and medical personnel of the reality of Spinal Cord Injury trauma on a family system . The episodes explore the profound healing learnings and the true experience of navigating life after a catastrophic injury from the perspective of both the patient and the family. By revisiting this raw human journey of devastation and resilience, we are reminded of exactly why this research matters so deeply and how these personal stories continue to inform, guide, and inspire the brilliant medical teams and scientists working tirelessly to change the future.
Sending love
Have an idea or feedback for me? Email me, at louise@blinkofaneye.org
#BeginAgain #HopeforEverything
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation, crisis and trauma interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com
Apr 1, 2026
Apr 1, 2026
30 min
#307 Revisiting Blink: The Call
Before launching into a new season focused on cutting-edge medical science and breakthroughs in spinal cord injury research, Louise takes a moment to look back at where it all began. In these special revisiting episodes, listeners are invited to return to the origin story of the podcast and the deeply personal realities of spinal cord trauma with the intention to raise the awareness for researchers, funders and medical personnel of the reality of Spinal Cord Injury trauma on a family system . The episodes explore the profound healing learnings and the true experience of navigating life after a catastrophic injury from the perspective of both the patient and the family. By revisiting this raw human journey of devastation and resilience, we are reminded of exactly why this research matters so deeply and how these personal stories continue to inform, guide, and inspire the brilliant medical teams and scientists working tirelessly to change the future.
Sending love
Have an idea or feedback for me? Email me, at louise@blinkofaneye.org
#BeginAgain #HopeforEverything
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation, crisis and trauma interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com
Mar 25, 2026
Mar 25, 2026
1 hr 19 min
The Unifying Language of the Human Breath for SCI Healing with Jessica Dibb
Louise sits down with Jessica Dibb, a pioneer in psychospiritual healing, Director of the Global Breathwork Alliance, and the founder of the Inspiration Consciousness School and Community. Jessica shares her unique journey from her early days as a classically trained dancer with the Royal Ballet of England and the Bolshoi Ballet of Russia to her pre-medical studies, where she had a profound epiphany that breath is the unifying language of the human species. The conversation explores the deep intelligence of the physical body and how conscious breathing can be used to release deep-seated trauma, cultivate presence, and facilitate exceptional healing. Jessica also opens up about her deeply personal role in guiding Louise's family through the darkest days of Archer's high-c spinal cord and pulmonary injury, using remote breathwork to help him wean off a ventilator when doctors believed it was impossible. Touching on her book, Breathwork and Psychotherapy, Jessica discusses the vital importance of weaving somatic practices with ethical frameworks to support individual and global wellness, proving that our greatest tool for healing and connection is hidden in our very next breath.
Have an idea or feedback for me? Email me, at louise@blinkofaneye.org
Contact the Inspiration Consciousness School and Community: essence@inspirationcommunity.org
#BeginAgain #HopeforEverything
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com
Mar 18, 2026
Mar 18, 2026
1 hr 5 min
The Groundbreaking BrainGate Clinical Trials with Dr. Lee Hochberg
Louise talks with Dr. Leigh Hochberg, a critical care neurologist, professor of engineering and brain science at Brown University, and the director of the groundbreaking BrainGate clinical trials. Dr. Hochberg shares how his early experiences, particularly watching his grandmother navigate Alzheimer’s disease, sparked a lifelong curiosity about the brain and nervous system. He recounts his path from those childhood observations to his college years at Brown, where a lecture on neurotransmitters captivated him and set him on a course toward neurotechnology. Dr. Hochberg explains the profound implications of his current work, which involves surgically implanting a sensor into the motor cortex to decode the brain's electrical signals. This technology allows people with severe paralysis to control computers, robotic arms, and even generate spoken words simply by thinking about the movement. They discuss the unbelievable resilience of the patients who pioneer these trials and envision a future where paralysis may no longer mean the loss of mobility or voice.
Have an idea or feedback for me? Email me, at louise@blinkofaneye.org
Implantable Brain-Computer Interface Collaborative Community: https://www.ibci-cc.org/
#BeginAgain #HopeforEverything
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com
Mar 11, 2026
Mar 11, 2026
1 hr 6 min
A Paraplegic Harvard Scientist's Neuronal Regeneration Quest While Living in a Non-Accessible World, even in the Ivy League
Louise sits down with Jason Biundo, a PhD student at Harvard Medical School whose life and career were profoundly shaped by a severe spinal cord injury. In 2019, while studying neuroscience as an undergraduate, Jason survived a devastating rock climbing fall from the wall that left him paralyzed below the waist. He shares the surreal experience of understanding the exact neurological science of his trauma while lying in a hospital bed, and how that realization fueled his pivot toward studying neuronal regeneration. Jason offers an inside look at his groundbreaking research on scar modulation and how fibroblasts communicate with immune cells to repair early nervous system injuries. The conversation also tackles the hidden, exhausting realities of living as a paraplegic in spaces not built for wheelchairs, including the historic and often inaccessible campuses of the Ivy League. Jason opens up about the emotional toll of constant advocacy, the disconnect between the slow pace of academic research and the urgent needs of the spinal cord injury community, and how his lived experience makes him a uniquely powerful force in the lab and for accessibility awareness and change.
Have an idea or feedback for me? Email me, at louise@blinkofaneye.org
You can learn more about Jason's work at the Stevens Lab here: https://www.stevenslab.org/jason-b
#BeginAgain #HopeforEverything
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com
Mar 4, 2026
Mar 4, 2026
1 hr 16 min
Engineered Neuroplasticity and the Future of Spinal Cord Recovery with Dr. Chet Moritz
Louise is joined by Dr. Chet Moritz, the Hwang Endowed Professor at the University of Washington and Director of the Restorative Technologies Laboratory. Dr. Moritz shares his unique journey from studying the biomechanics of insect flight to pioneering the field of engineered neuroplasticity. They discuss his lab's groundbreaking work in non-invasive spinal stimulation and the monumental FDA approval of the ONWARD ARC-EX device, a technology helping individuals with chronic paralysis regain hand and arm function. Dr. Moritz explains how transcutaneous electrical stimulation primes the spinal cord to listen to the brain again, unlocking voluntary movement without surgery. The conversation also explores the profound off-target benefits of this technology, such as autonomic nervous system regulation, and details his lab's moonshot goal to cure paralysis using optogenetics. Listeners will gain an inside look at the science of connection and the new era of engineered recovery.
You can learn more about Dr. Moritz's work at the Restorative Technologies Laboratory here: http://depts.washinRestorative Technologies Laboratorygton.edu/moritlab/
#BeginAgain #HopeforEverything
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com
Feb 25, 2026
Feb 25, 2026
1 hr 56 sec
Finding Your Tribe After Spinal Cord Injury and the Power of Disability Experience for All
Louise sits down with Reveca Torres, an artist, filmmaker, and the executive director of Backbones, a nonprofit connecting people with spinal cord injuries to their communities. Reveca shares the story of her injury at age thirteen during a family car accident in Mexico and the unexpected isolation she felt despite having a large, supportive family. She opens up about the pressure to mask her negative emotions to protect her loved ones and the profound shift that occurred when she finally connected with peers who shared her lived experience. This realization led her to found Backbones, creating a vital network of peer support that she herself once needed. The conversation explores Reveca's groundbreaking work at the intersection of disability and art, including her journey to becoming the first wheelchair user to earn a fashion design degree at Harper College. She discusses her Tres Fridas project, which reimagines historical artists through a disability lens, and her upcoming film, While We Are Here. Through her art and advocacy, Reveca proves that disability is not a deficit but a vital part of the human experience with a benefit for our Oneness.
#BeginAgain #HopeforEverything
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Resources
Learn more about Reinventing the Wheel: http://vmuseum.com/rtw/
Backbones: https://www.backbonesonline.org/about-us
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com
Feb 18, 2026
Feb 18, 2026
1 hr 11 min
Crossing the Valley of Death in Medical Research through Sound at HEPIUS Innovation Labs
Louise sits down with Dr. Amir Manbachi, an Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins University and the founder of HEPIUS Innovation Labs. Dr. Manbachi shares his unconventional path from a talented musician to a physicist and neurosurgery researcher, revealing how the physics of sound inspired a breakthrough in spinal cord visualization. He explains the development of the MUSIC device, a tiny implantable ultrasound tool designed to provide real-time data on the spinal cord immediately after injury.
They discuss the critical black box problem in current surgery, where surgeons often lack visibility into the cord's status once the operation is finished. Dr. Manbachi highlights the challenges of bringing such life-changing technology from the lab to the patient, describing the financial gap known as the valley of death in medical research where funding often dries up. Reporting from Washington D.C., they explore the urgent need for federal support to bridge this gap and the potential for ultrasound to revolutionize the standard of care for spinal cord injuries.
#BeginAgain #HopeforEverything
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Resources
Learn more about Amir: https://www.bme.jhu.edu/people/faculty/amir-manbachi/
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com
Feb 11, 2026
Feb 11, 2026
58 min
Surviving the Crash: A 17-Year-Old’s Lifelong Journey from Stud to Survivor
Louise talks with Rick Futia and his nephew, Jag Jefferson, about the 1982 accident that altered the course of Rick's life forever. At seventeen, Rick was an athletic powerhouse whose identity was entirely wrapped up in his physical strength and studious caution. He recounts the eerie premonitions he felt on the day of his injury, from a lingering look at his mother to a strange reflection in a store window, before a stunt involving a tractor tire at the lake went wrong.
Rick opens up about the crushing depression that followed the loss of his physical abilities and the struggle to find worth when his body was no longer his calling card. He describes a pivotal moment in the hospital involving a roommate who could only communicate with her eyes, a realization that shifted his perspective on his own survival. Joined by Jag, the author of the new memoir Rickicello, they discuss how Rick refused to shrink away and instead reinvented himself into one of the Bay Area's most eligible bachelors, finding a new kind of strength and resilience.
#BeginAgain #HopeforEverything
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Resources
Rickicello: The Rockstar Life of a Paraplegic Paisan: https://www.amazon.com/Rickicello-Rockstar-Life-Paraplegic-Paisan-ebook/dp/B0G5Z4PZFZ
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com
Feb 4, 2026
Feb 4, 2026
1 hr 5 min
Love, Prejudice, and the Search for Peace with Cole and Charisma Sidnor
In this episode, we are invited into the vibrant and vulnerable world of Cole and Charisma Sidnor, the couple behind the popular YouTube channel Roll with Cole and Charisma. Their story begins with a pivot that changed everything, as Cole navigates the shift from a sixteen-year-old athlete with dreams of college sports to a young man learning to live with quadriplegia. We explore how a chance meeting at a rehabilitation center sparked a romance that would eventually challenge societal norms and open a window for millions to witness the reality of an inter-abled, interracial relationship.
Our conversation goes far beyond the surface of their online persona, diving deep into the complexities of facing public scrutiny. Cole and Charisma open up about the harsh intersection of ableism and racism they encounter, the assumptions strangers make about their love, and the conscious choice to protect their peace amidst the noise. We discuss the unseen emotional labor of caregiving, the pain of their recent infertility journey, and the profound strength found in vulnerability. This is a dialogue about the resilience required to hold onto joy, the evolution of faith after trauma, and the beautiful, sometimes difficult, responsibility of being a mirror for others who yearn to see themselves represented in the world.
#BeginAgain #HopeforEverything
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Resources
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA5Zfb-OOm7eDHHa8iu9izQ
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com
Jan 28, 2026
Jan 28, 2026
1 hr 10 min
The Architecture of Neural Repair with Dr. Pengzhe Lu
For decades, the diagnosis of a complete spinal cord injury came with a period at the end of the sentence: no regeneration possible. But Dr. Pengzhe Lu has spent his career challenging that finality. In this episode, we travel into the microscopic world of the Center for Neural Repair at UCSD, where Dr. Lu is engineering neural stem cell grafts to act as biological bridges across the lesion site. We explore the incredible complexity of convincing axons to grow through a hostile environment and the emerging role of 3D scaffolds in rebuilding the body’s architecture. This is a conversation about the persistence of science, the definition of the miracle year when viewed through a cellular lens, and the tangible steps being taken to translate laboratory breakthroughs into restored function for SCI families, including complete injuries, waiting for a cure.
#BeginAgain #HopeforEverything
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Resources
https://neurosciences.ucsd.edu/centers-programs/neural-repair/scientists-team/paul-lu.html
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com
Jan 21, 2026
Jan 21, 2026
55 min
A Raw Look at Redefining Possibility
How do you rewrite your life's story when the plot twists become unbearable? Louise joins author Rebecca Faye Smith Galli to navigate the intersection of profound grief and the sudden onset of Transverse Myelitis. Unlike acute traumatic injury, this rare inflammatory condition presents a unique medical puzzle, attacking the spinal cord from within. Becky shares how she processed the paralysis that followed, a diagnosis that arrived amidst the heartbreaking loss of her brother and son. They explore the biology of resilience, the difference between surviving and healing, and how writing became a tool to document the intrigue of a body and life transformed. This conversation challenges the pressure to be positive, offering instead a raw look at redefining possibility when the unexpected happens.
#BeginAgain #HopeforEverything
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Resources
Rebecca Faye Smith Galli: rebeccafayesmithgalli.com
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com
Jan 14, 2026
Jan 14, 2026
1 hr 11 min
Macrophages and the Battle for SCI Repair with Dr. John Gensel
What happens when the cells sent to heal the body after a bodily trauma decide to stick around, becoming a permanent roadblock to recovery, as they do in acute SCI? Is it possible to reprogram the immune system to stop standing guard over the damage and instead open the pathway for repair?
Louise sits down with Dr. John Gensel, a neuroscientist and the Director of the Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center at the University of Kentucky. John has dedicated his career to the microscopic world of macrophages—the body's internal healing cells—and the mystery of why they behave so differently in the spinal cord than anywhere else in the human body. He shares how his lab is working to flip the switch on chronic inflammation, looking for ways to turn a person's own biology from a roadblock back into a healing and repair agent, and an ally to recent NVG-291 breakthroughs. Stay tuned as they explore the cellular frontier of SCI science and what it means for the future of personalized recovery.
#BeginAgain #HopeforEverything
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Resources
John Gensel: https://medicine.uky.edu/users/jcge224
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com
Jan 7, 2026
Jan 7, 2026
1 hr 7 min
The Crash That Saved My Life with Jesi Stracham
Can a tragedy actually save your life? It is a paradoxical question, but for Jesi Stracham, the moment that broke her body was the catalyst that fixed her life. In 2015, a motorcycle accident resulted in a T4 complete spinal cord injury, stripping away her physical mobility but granting her a sudden, terrifying clarity. Jesi transitioned from a reckless lifestyle to facing the raw, unglamorous reality of paralysis, a shift that forced her to take extreme ownership of a future she hadn't planned for.
Louise and Jesi discuss the disorienting first 30 days following a spinal cord injury, exploring what happens inside the body and how the understanding of such a permanent change evolves in real time. They talk about the ripple effects of trauma on family and relationships, and the pivotal moment when survival mode must transform into active rebuilding. Jesi opens up about how she channeled her innate competitiveness into becoming the first paraplegic to complete the World’s Toughest Mudder 24-hour obstacle course and how that drive led her to found the Wheel With Me Foundation. Now an author, Jesi details her journey in her new book, The Power of the Roll & Throttle, sharing the mindset required to reclaim agency and the unexpected motivation discovered through injury.
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Resources
Jesi Stracham's new Book: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Roll-Throttle-Spinal-Injury/dp/1476698511
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com
Dec 31, 2025
Dec 31, 2025
1 hr 14 min
Inside Stem Cell Research for Spinal Cord Injury With Dr. Mark Tuszynski
What can stem cells actually repair after a spinal cord injury, and where are the boundaries? What learnings might be drawn from ALS, MS, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s for SCI research? How should patients and families interpret early clinical SCI trial results? And what does a therapy like NervGen mean for the broader research landscape?
In this episode, Louise sits down with neurologist and researcher Dr. Mark Tuszynski of the University of California, San Diego, to examine the realities of stem cell research for spinal cord injury. They explore the biological barriers to regeneration, why recovery is rarely driven by a single intervention, and how clinical trials are designed, paced, and evaluated.
The episode offers a clear, honest, science-first perspective on progress, patience, and what meaningful advancement in spinal cord injury research really looks like today and what we can expect.
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Resources
Mark Tuszynski: https://neurosciences.ucsd.edu/centers-programs/neural-repair/projects/index.html
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com
Dec 17, 2025
Dec 17, 2025
46 min
#293 Revisiting Blink: A Holiday Special, He Talked with God
In this holiday revisit, Blink of an Eye returns to He Talked With God, a moving episode from Season 1 that explores the intersection of catastrophic injury, faith, and human resilience. Spinal cord injuries often occur suddenly, frequently while people are away from home, often on vacation, and unprepared for how quickly life can change, leaving families to navigate life changing injuries and complex medical trauma in unfamiliar circumstances.
Revisiting this early conversation during Season 6 offers a moment of reflection on how deeply personal journeys of injury, belief, and survival continue to shape lives over time. This episode invites listeners to consider the enduring questions of meaning, connection, faith in purpose and what is possible that arise in the aftermath of spinal cord injury—and why these stories remain essential to tell.
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding! Www.BLINKofanEye.org
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and medical, rehab and life tips resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 365 days of renormalizing. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory, self-awareness methods, relational advocacy, mediation interventions, and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com
Dec 10, 2025
Dec 10, 2025
1 hr 16 min
The Future of SCI Neural Repair With Dr. Andrew Stewart
What does it mean to rethink spinal cord injury recovery when the world has told you that healing has a limit? How do you hold on to hope when science, for decades, insisted that the chronic stage of SCI was a closed door? And what happens when new research begins to challenge those long-held assumptions, inviting us into a different kind of possibility?
In this episode, Louise talks with neuroscientist Andrew Stewart, whose work sits at the forefront of emerging SCI science. Andrew brings us into the biology of the injured spinal cord and the breakthroughs that are beginning to reshape what we understand about repair, recovery, and the potential for regeneration. Together, they explore the momentum building around therapies like NervGen, the questions researchers are finally able to ask, and why the nervous system may be more adaptable than anyone believed even a decade ago.
This conversation blends scientific clarity with grounded hope, offering a window into the persistence, curiosity, and careful optimism driving today’s most promising advances in SCI healing.
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Resources
Andrew Stewart: https://medicine.uky.edu/centers/scobirc/users/anst265
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com