Medical Affidavit
March 3, 2005
Jill Joyce Ph.D., LMFT, SLP-CCC Licensed psychotherapist and speech/language pathologist.
Worked extensively with severly brain-damaged people for over 20 years, did research, wrote a book, about memory loss and taught university classes over the last 10 years.
I have also read articles and seen videotapes of Ms. Schiavo over the Internet, from which I am able to render an educated opinion.
Based on my observations and experience, it is my opinion that Ms. Schiavo would be able to learn how to swallow if given the proper therapy. I have personally treated stroke patients, and other patients with sever brain damage similar to Ms. Schiavo’s that have regained their ability to swallow after being given proper therapy.
I have seen several patents that are in a persistent vegetative state. I have also seen other patients that were diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state, and I saw several of those patients come back to a cognitive state when given proper therapy. Based on my experience, I know the difference between someone in a persistent vegetative state and someone who is not in this state. It is my opinion that Ms. Schiavo is not in a persistent vegetative state.
Medical Affidavit
February 22, 2005
Philip R. Kennedy M.D. PhD.
I am a neuroscientist and neurologist and the leader in the field of recoding brain signals from human subjects. I earned my M.D. (MB, BCh, BAO) at the National University of Ireland in 1972, my F.R.C.S.I (equivalent of General Surgery Boards) at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 1976, and Ph.D. in Physiology (Neurophysiology and Neuroanatomy) at the Northwestern University in Chicago Illinois in 1983 as well as a Neurology Residency at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta Georgia in 1997.
In my 32 years of biomedical research and development, I have collaborated with leading neuroscientists and other medical professionals from institutions such as Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, Emory University, the national Instituites of Health, and the Veterans Administration as well as private companies in my field.
Etc. etc. etc.
Based on what I know about terri Schiavo’s current condition, I strongly recommend that she be allowed the opportunity fo be examined through the use of an fMRI. Beyond the fMRI, there are several other recent advances in medical treatment and technology, which may benefit Terri Schiavo. There are newer technologies since what was available in 2002 that will allow us to determine if Terri Schiavo can be assessed for signs of cortical function. There are also technologies that we have developed for providing this communication even for “locked-in” patients.