People in WA living with paralysis will soon have the possibility of regaining significant movement and independence, as SpinalCure Australia opens the state’s first clinical trial site for neurostimulation—a groundbreaking therapy that’s showing real promise for restoring lost function after spinal cord injury.
The new site, based at NeuroMoves in Fremantle, is part of Project Spark—a national research initiative backed by leading scientists and delivered in collaboration with Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), SCIA’s NeuroMoves division, and The CatWalk Trust, and supported in WA by the Insurance Commission of WA (ICWA) and the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).
Western Australia has the highest rate of spinal cord injury per capita in the country, with more than 2,800 people currently affected. The lifetime cost to theWA economy is estimated at more than $10.3 billion—making spinal cord injury one of the most costly and complex conditions to manage.
Until now, West Australians had to travel interstate to access experimental neurostimulation treatments. The launch of the Fremantle site changes that—marking the first time these clinical trials have been available in WA.
“This is a major step forward for people in WA living with spinal cord injuries,” said Duncan Wallace, Executive Director of SpinalCure Australia, who lives witha spinal cord injury himself. “It’s the first part of a program of exciting research we plan to bring to WA over the coming years as part of our upcoming National Roadmap to a Cure.”
Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC, who has long championed spinal cord injury research and has a personal connection to the cause, said she was proud to see the trials now expanding into her home state.
“As someone with a personal connection to this cause, I am passionate about championing ground-breaking research and treatment for spinal cord injuries,” said Reynolds. “It’s why I’ve fought to help secure federal support for Project Spark. This work gives hope to thousands of Australians—and now West Australians can be part of it too.”
Two trials now underway in WA – and actively recruiting across WA
The Fremantle site is hosting two major trials under Project Spark:
● Get a Grip, funded by ICWA, targets breathing, and hand and arm function in people with cervical spinal injuries. Participants attend threesessions per week for six weeks. Eight WA participants have already enrolled or signed up.
● eWALK 2, funded by the MRFF, is focused on helping paraplegic and quadriplegic participants stand and walk again. Treatments run for 12 weeks and are set to begin in Perth in July, with screening already underway.
Up to 20 West Australians are expected to take part in each trial over the next three years. Regional participants are actively encouraged to apply, with traveland accommodation costs fully covered—a benefit unique to the WA site.
WA participant Annie Currie is already halfway through the Get a Grip trial and says the experience has brought both physical and emotional progress.
“The gains may seem small to others, but for me they’ve been huge—more control, more confidence, and a sense that things might still improve,” said Currie. “Just being part of something that’s focused on possibility has made a real difference.”
“We’ve already had strong interest from our WA client base,” said Professor Jane Butler of NeuRA. “It’s clear there’s a real hunger for access to this kind of research—and now it’s here.”
“This isn’t just research. It’s a chance to change futures—one person, one family, one community at a time,” Wallace said.
About Project Spark, Get a Grip & eWALK 2
The clinical trials under the Project Spark banner (eWALK 1, Get a Grip, and eWALK 2) are testing neurostimulation as a promising therapy for people with spinal cord injuries. Led by researchers at the Spinal Cord Injury Research Centre at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) in partnership with SpinalCure, these trials explore how targeted electrical pulses can help reawaken communication between the brain and spinal cord. All trials use non-invasive neurostimulation, delivered via electrodes placed on the skin,combined with physical therapy.
To learn more or register interest, visit: spinalcure.org.au/campaigns/projectsparkappeal
