PRIOR LAKE, Minn. — It has been 10 years since Jack Jablonski suffered a devastating hockey injury that left him paralyzed from the chest down.
This week, he's back in Minnesota for his annual golf tournament with some exciting news.
Jablonski recently posted a video on Twitter that showed him eating a snack all by himself. For people who don't know Jack and his story, eating a snack may not seem like a big deal, but for those that do know him, it's a very big deal.
"For me to be able to pick up food and be able to handle it myself is a big breakthrough,” Jablonski said.
Just a few months ago, Jablonski says something this simple would have been impossible for him, but now he finally has the strength to do it thanks to a new breakthrough device.
"The stimulation device that the trial uses is called the SCONE,” Jablonski said.
SCONE is short for Spinal Cord Neuromodulator. The SpineX SCONE is a small, portable, rechargeable system that is currently being evaluated in several research studies.
Jack and 23 other patients are currently involved in one trial study, and the goal is to give the FDA enough data so it can approve the device for general use.
Jablonski says this device has already had a big impact on him. One reason why, he says, is that he’s now able to grab some small objects like the crackers he ate in his recent video.
“Six months ago, I couldn’t pick it up and handle the resistance of hummus. It’s crazy to call running a cracker through hummus resistance, but in reality, when you don’t have strength in your hands and arms, that’s what we’re dealing with,” Jablonski says.
Through his annual golf tournament and other fundraising initiatives, Jablonski’s foundation is paying the way for all 24 of these patients.
"The progress has been great. The first 20 patients have made progress, including myself. And we're excited to get to the next four and keep moving forward,” Jablonski says.
The BEL13VE Golf Tournament is held every year at the Wilds Golf Club in Prior Lake.
To learn more about Jablonski’s foundation and his mission click here.
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