Future Gold Coast: Pro motorbike racer Matt Kuhne hopes to overcome quadriplegia

At age 19 professional motorbike racer Matt Kuhne was left quadriplegic in a training accident. 12 years on, he may have a chance to walk again — and his six-year-old son already has plans.

LIFE changed drastically for former professional motorbike racer Matt Kuhne when, at age 19, he was left a quadriplegic from a training accident.

Twelve years on, he may have a chance to walk again.

With the world at his feet as a multiple national title winner and the youngest Australian to compete in a World MotoGP, the accident was devastating for the young Gold Coaster.

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Former professional motorbike racer Matt Kuhne would love to be more active with wife Kylie Kuhne and kids Levi, 6, and Aisha, 4. Picture: Mike Batterham

“It was just a silly little crash. I would have had them all the time. Unfortunately this time it busted my neck,” he said.

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A homegrown research project might help Mr Kuhne and thousands like him to walk again.

International scientists at Griffith University engaged in the Spinal Injury Project (SIP) are close to conducting human clinical trials for what is currently Australia’s greatest hope for a treatment for chronic spinal cord injuries.

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Matt Kuhne is hoping to qualify for the first human trials in the hopes of walking again.

The project puts the Gold Coast at the forefront of medical research.

The treatment involves taking a special type of cell from a patient’s olfactory (sense of smell) nerve system and transplanting it into the spinal cord injury site, while creating a 3D biodegradable nerve cell bridge that can be transplanted to repair injured spinal cords.

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SIP Team Leader Associate Professor James St John says it is an exciting time for the Spinal Injury Project with research also on track and results better than expected.

”The past few months has proved particularly exciting with some of our research outcomes proving better than expected and timelines for delivery meeting predicted expectations,” he said.

”Our latest major breakthrough has involved getting the 3D nerve bridges to integrate successfully into the injured spinal cord which then helps the nerve cells to grow across the injury site.”

Team Leader Associate Professor James St John at the labs at the Griffith University Gold Coast campus where a major spinal injury research project is taking place. Picture: Jerad Williams

Mr Kuhne, 31, has already begun rehabilitation work in the hope of being chosen for the clinical trial, which could get underway as soon as next year.

“My son, who’s six, says he’d love it if Daddy could chase him around and play soccer. It would be great to run around with my kids rather than sit on the sidelines,” Mr Kuhne said.

“Even if I can’t walk, just to have the little things like being able to tie a shoelace or do a zipper without asking for help would be amazing.”