GLENROSE HOSPITAL FOUNDATION  |
9
When Grafton joined the study in June 2025, 
she had limited functional movement below her 
shoulders. Just two and a half weeks into the trial, 
she started noticing changes. By the end of July, 
she could curl her right arm three-quarters of the 
way, shake her hand, pinch, and even pet her 
dog. These movements may seem small, but they 
brought her one step closer to independence. 
For Dr. D’Amico, these successes are exactly 
why she’s in this line of work. While she’s had 
the privilege of working with mentors and 
collaborators from across the world, it’s the 
people — the individuals living with injury — that 
have impacted her most. 
“We measure strength, dexterity, and clinical 
outcomes because they’re essential, but they’re 
only part of the story,” she says. “What really 
matters is helping someone regain a piece of 
their life they thought was gone forever.” An 
injury can change someone’s life in an instant, but 
research suggests that recovery may not be as 
fixed as we once thought.
Willing participants like Grafton are what make this 
research possible, says D’Amico. “I’ve met individuals who 
have been told they’ve reached the limits of recovery, yet 
they continue showing up with determination, optimism, 
and a willingness to participate in research, not just for 
themselves, but because they hope it helps someone else 
in the future.”
Grafton echoes that sentiment. “I’m lucky that I can 
participate,” she says. “It gives me purpose to give back 
to something that is going to benefit my community in the 
long run.”
D’Amico hopes the therapies being studied today will 
eventually become part of everyday care, so people 
don’t have to travel across the country or participate 
in a research study to access innovative rehabilitation. 
“Recovery doesn’t stop when rehabilitation ends, and I 
want our research to help redefine what recovery can 
look like.”
For Grafton, while the future is still uncertain, today, that 
uncertainty comes with hope. “Before I just accepted that 
this is what I have,” she says. “But now it’s changed that 
narrative; there’s so much unknown.”
 “I know for myself I have 
this weak little muscle, but 
it’s there, and I now have 
access to it,” she says. “From 
the trial I’m about 30% 
there, and that’s starting 
from nothing.” For her, even 
a small increase in strength 
can mean asking for less 
help. Her hope is that one 
day she’ll have enough 
strength to bring her hand 
to her face to eat or drink 
independently.
For Grafton, the science is personal.
9
Led by neuroscientist Dr. Jessica D’Amico, the study is exploring whether non-invasive 
spinal cord stimulation can improve upper-extremity movement and function in people 
living with spinal cord injuries. While for many it might sound like it’s straight out of a science 
fiction novel, for Grafton and individuals like her, it’s very real, and life-changing. 

View this content as a flipbook by clicking here.