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Interview with Christopher Reeve

Aired May 08, 2003 - 15:09   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Bills introduced in the House and Senate would create a new program to help paralysis victims. More research, rehabilitation, and improved quality of living. The legislation is named for Christopher Reeve, the actor paralyzed in 1995 in a horseback riding accident. Reeve was on Capitol Hill pushing the legislation and I asked him why a new program is needed.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTOPHER REEVE, ACTOR: Paralysis has been on the sidelines for a very long time, and we're not just talking about spinal cord injuries, but two million Americans live with paralysis caused by all kinds of diseases and disorders of the brain and central nervous system and that number's growing every day. And it's time to provide additional federal support for cutting edge research, for rehabilitation, and also for quality of life and to make sure that it gets distributed equally around the 50 states.

WOODRUFF: Where is the science in all of this? You know, sometimes you hear there have been great advances made. Certainly, the progress you've made has been an inspiration to everyone who has heard or read about it.

Where is the science and how much more is to be done in this area?

REEVE: Well, the science really is in two parts. It's in rehabilitation and it's also in, in terms of actually finding a biological cure for the disease or a condition. So, for example, in the area of rehabilitation, tremendous strides have been made. One of the most important advances was the development a few years ago of treadmill walking therapy. And this was pioneered out in California by a Dr. Reggie Edgerton (ph) at UCLA. He had the theory there might be energy in memory stored in the spinal cord that could be used to get people to walk. Simply by putting a paraplegic, people who have use of their upper body, on treadmills for a couple of months on a daily basis, so far, I think they've gotten 400 or 500 people out of wheelchairs. So they're not cured but they're rehabilitated and then they don't need their insurance. They go back to school, go back to work.

WOODRUFF: We're told that some in the brain injury advocacy community say yes, it's good to spend money on research for a cure down the road, but what about the people today who don't have resources, who need help, who need support.

How do you make that very difficult choice between what's -- which is more important?

Well, all are equally important. And this bill addresses all three phases of need. One is research towards a cure. The other is rehabilitation research, and the third and probably the most important right now is quality of life. That's today. That's about jobs, recreation, transportation, the opportunities to be included society. And this bill would blanket the 50 states and make sure that people who are denied access to things that they should have for a better quality of life today get what they need. And it also would send a signal, if it passes, and I hope it will, and is appropriated, which I the other part of it, that the federal government cares about 2 million Americans who have been left in the margins for far too long.

WOODRUFF: One other question about the money. It has been pointed out to me President Bush is proposing what amounts to a 1.8 percent increase in the NIH budget this year.

After much larger percentage-wise increases in recent years, is the administration doing enough right now in this area?

REEVE: Well, President Bush campaigned on a promise to double the budget of the NIH within five years. That was begun during the Clinton administration in 1998. At that time, the budget for the NIH was $12.7 billion. And today, in FY 2003, it's over $27 billion. So that's actually been accomplished. But you can't stop there, because the NIH was so underfunded for so long that now it's caught up, but just the $1.8 billion increase or a small percentage increase, in the future won't allow scientists to continue to do what they should be doing.

WOODRUFF: You continue to amaze people with your extraordinary determination and spirit and you're here in Washington, your lobbying the Congress.

Where does this extraordinary drive come from?

REEVE: I think, you know, for 30 years, I was an actor, and that's a very tough profession. And success doesn't come easily. And you have to really want it. I say to people you know, acting is not a choice it's something that you have to do other wise do something else. I feel the same way about my advocacy. This not a choice. This is something that I have to do. Not just for me, but for the people that are unable to represent and I feel so very luckily to do so.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Christopher Reeve, pure inspiration, actor and now Congressional lobbyist.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired May 8, 2003 - 15:09   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Bills introduced in the House and Senate would create a new program to help paralysis victims. More research, rehabilitation, and improved quality of living. The legislation is named for Christopher Reeve, the actor paralyzed in 1995 in a horseback riding accident. Reeve was on Capitol Hill pushing the legislation and I asked him why a new program is needed.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTOPHER REEVE, ACTOR: Paralysis has been on the sidelines for a very long time, and we're not just talking about spinal cord injuries, but two million Americans live with paralysis caused by all kinds of diseases and disorders of the brain and central nervous system and that number's growing every day. And it's time to provide additional federal support for cutting edge research, for rehabilitation, and also for quality of life and to make sure that it gets distributed equally around the 50 states.

WOODRUFF: Where is the science in all of this? You know, sometimes you hear there have been great advances made. Certainly, the progress you've made has been an inspiration to everyone who has heard or read about it.

Where is the science and how much more is to be done in this area?

REEVE: Well, the science really is in two parts. It's in rehabilitation and it's also in, in terms of actually finding a biological cure for the disease or a condition. So, for example, in the area of rehabilitation, tremendous strides have been made. One of the most important advances was the development a few years ago of treadmill walking therapy. And this was pioneered out in California by a Dr. Reggie Edgerton (ph) at UCLA. He had the theory there might be energy in memory stored in the spinal cord that could be used to get people to walk. Simply by putting a paraplegic, people who have use of their upper body, on treadmills for a couple of months on a daily basis, so far, I think they've gotten 400 or 500 people out of wheelchairs. So they're not cured but they're rehabilitated and then they don't need their insurance. They go back to school, go back to work.

WOODRUFF: We're told that some in the brain injury advocacy community say yes, it's good to spend money on research for a cure down the road, but what about the people today who don't have resources, who need help, who need support.

How do you make that very difficult choice between what's -- which is more important?

Well, all are equally important. And this bill addresses all three phases of need. One is research towards a cure. The other is rehabilitation research, and the third and probably the most important right now is quality of life. That's today. That's about jobs, recreation, transportation, the opportunities to be included society. And this bill would blanket the 50 states and make sure that people who are denied access to things that they should have for a better quality of life today get what they need. And it also would send a signal, if it passes, and I hope it will, and is appropriated, which I the other part of it, that the federal government cares about 2 million Americans who have been left in the margins for far too long.

WOODRUFF: One other question about the money. It has been pointed out to me President Bush is proposing what amounts to a 1.8 percent increase in the NIH budget this year.

After much larger percentage-wise increases in recent years, is the administration doing enough right now in this area?

REEVE: Well, President Bush campaigned on a promise to double the budget of the NIH within five years. That was begun during the Clinton administration in 1998. At that time, the budget for the NIH was $12.7 billion. And today, in FY 2003, it's over $27 billion. So that's actually been accomplished. But you can't stop there, because the NIH was so underfunded for so long that now it's caught up, but just the $1.8 billion increase or a small percentage increase, in the future won't allow scientists to continue to do what they should be doing.

WOODRUFF: You continue to amaze people with your extraordinary determination and spirit and you're here in Washington, your lobbying the Congress.

Where does this extraordinary drive come from?

REEVE: I think, you know, for 30 years, I was an actor, and that's a very tough profession. And success doesn't come easily. And you have to really want it. I say to people you know, acting is not a choice it's something that you have to do other wise do something else. I feel the same way about my advocacy. This not a choice. This is something that I have to do. Not just for me, but for the people that are unable to represent and I feel so very luckily to do so.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Christopher Reeve, pure inspiration, actor and now Congressional lobbyist.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com