03 - 19 - 18 Author: Tory Williams Inevitable Collision

About the AuthorBorn and raised in the small town of Millry, Alabama, Tory Minus is a proud mother of 4 and Founder and Executive Director of the Alabama Institute of Medicine (AIM). She also played an instrumental role in the formation and passing of the TJ Atchison Spinal Cord Injury Research Act, also known as "TJ's Law," which provides funding for spinal cord injury research in Alabama. Because of personal events involving family illness, Tory saw that while significant progress has been made for some clinical research in the southeast, there is a tremendous lack of funding and education for progressive regenerative medicine therapies. Tory continues to be an active advocate for further education on the benefits of stem cell research.About Inevitable Collision: The Inspiring Story That Brought Stem Cell Research to Conservative AmericaOn September 25, 2010, Tory Minus received the devastating news that a family friend, 21-year-old TJ Atchison, had been in a terrible automobile accident and, despite thorough care, was paralyzed from the chest down. Based on many factors surrounding TJ's condition, doctors determined he was the perfect candidate for a new clinical trial using a drug containing embryonic stem cells that was designed to regenerate damaged spinal cord tissue. This was the first trial of its kind to involve a human candidate, and would end up being the start of Tory's courageous journey to document this clinical trial and raise awareness and funding for embryonic stem cells research across the nation, especially to those within "conservative" America. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit moderateddf652d2726bd44d880ef877.substack.com