What do Tom Welling and Christopher Reeve have in common? They have both played Superman, of course, and they have both been shown in the newest Superman saga, “Smallville.” Tom stars as Clark Kent, aka Superman, in this television series, and Christopher makes a few appearances as “Dr. Virgil Swann.”
The “Clark Kent-Superman” connection may be what brought them together, but Tom was also a support of Christopher Reeve’s research. The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation was founded in 1995, but in goes back to 1982 when the “American Paralysis Association” was formed. The American Paralysis Association was formed from group of people who refused to believe that an injured spinal cord could not be repaired, and so began the means for repairing damaged nerve cells.
Today, even though Christopher Reeve passed away on October 10, 2004, at the age of 52, the research to help people with spinal cord injuries prevails, as does the Christpoher Reeve Foundation . Christopher, along with his wife, Dana, formed the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation after Christopher’s 1995 accident resulted in paralysis, said, “I have always been a crusader for causes I believe in. This time, the cause found me.”
In the 2003 episode of Smallville “Rosetta,” Christopher appeared for the first time on the show. Immediately following the episode, Christopher and Tom are featured side-by-side in a short infomercial, asking viewers to support Paralysis research.
Today, there are between 250,000 and 400,000 Americans living with Spinal Cord Injuries, with about 11,000 new cases every year. The money raised by the Christopher Reeve Foundation goes towards research to provide effective therapies to patients undergoing treatment.
With new stem cell research being conducted on a regular basis, it comes as no surprise that stem cells seem like the most likely to be able to repair damage to cells and tissues. The stem cell research conducted includes research on Embryonic Stem Cells and Adult Stem Cells. These cells have unknown potentials, as stem cells are flexible and could, potentially, become any type of cell, making them ideal for spinal cord research and other replacement cells, as well. Current research shows that cells that have already begun to become a part of the central nervous system are the best used to repair the spinal cord.
Tom Welling may well be the one playing the role, but to many, Christopher Reeve was Superman, both because of his role and his life. Like many other celebrities, Christopher Reeve pursued a cause. If you’re interested in donating money to the Christopher Reeve Foundation, or simply in learning more, check out: www.christopherreeve.org.
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