Golf Tourney to Fund Stem Cell Therapy

By Amelia Wigton

Nixa's Josh Wallace hopes medical treatment abroad will improve muscle strength.

Nixa resident Josh Wallace was never a golfer-he'd rather be hunting or fishing. But right now, he'd love to be able to pick up a driver and hit the green with his brother and dad. Wallace, 28, has Friedreich's Ataxia, a form of muscular dystrophy, and is restricted to a wheelchair. And while he is not able to play golf, he hopes other's will head to the links in his place to help raise money for a medical procedure to give him more strength.

The Josh Wallace Benefit Golf Tournament is July 26 at Hidden Valley Golf Links. Money raised from the event will help send Wallace to the Far East where he will undergo treatment that is not currently available in the United States.

"I was diagnosed when I was 17, but I began showing signs in my early teen years," Wallace said about his condition. "The doctor said it was a muscular disease that wasn't going to get any better without a medical breakthrough."

Wallace found that possible medical breakthrough in China. In 2006, Wallace traveled to China where he stayed for six weeks and received six stem cell injections, two IV stem cell infusions and two spinal punches. He was the first person with his condition to receive the treatments.

"It improved it," Wallace said about the injections. "Not by a great amount, but it definitely improved it more than anything else I ever had. So I'm going back over there."

Wallace has lived in Nixa for one year with his parents, Jim and Sharon Wallace who own and operate Today's Donut Shop. Being so new to the community, the Wallace family didn't know how to raise money for the trip to China-until their neighbors, Joe, Kathy and Tyler Iman began planning the golf benefit.

"I count my friends and my family as my biggest asset," Kathy Iman said. "To move somewhere and not know anybody would be hard. They are great neighbors. It's one of those things where you look across the yard and see him in a wheelchair-what a challenge."

Iman said the Wallaces have already endured many challenges and expenses including making their home handicapped accessible and ongoing medical expenses. And without community support, Wallace won't be able to go to receive treatment that could give him strength.

"As the Wallace family is new to Nixa, we're asking our friends and neighbors to help us," Iman said. "We also ask that you remember their family in your thoughts and prayers as they face the continuing challenges of this dreadful disease."

Wallace said he is extremely grateful the Imans are helping him, especially after his father endured open heart surgery last week, leaving his family with even more medical expenses.

"It's really nice of them," he said. "They're real good friends of my parents. I'm just really grateful they are doing this for me. I'm really hoping it raises a lot of money."

Wallace can travel to China as early as August, but when he goes purely depends on when he raises enough money. It will cost about $15,000 in travel and medical expenses. But those treatments could greatly enhance his quality of life.

"Hopefully it will give me even more strength than it did before," he said. "The more the better, but I'm just thankful for more strength."

Wallace's ultimate goal is to be able to work.

"One of my main goals is to be able to hold a job and be in the workforce," said Wallace, who has a bachelor's degree in agriculture. "I'd really like to move to Springfield and have a job in Springfield."

But for now, Wallace is taking it one day at a time.

Josh Wallace benefit golf tournament

* July 26 at Hidden Valley Golf Links, Clever

* 1:30 p.m. shot gun start-check-in is at 12:45 p.m.

* Entry fee is $140 per team-two-player scramble-includes cart, green fees, goodie bag and lunch

* Cash prizes in each flight-number of places and flights determined by number of entries

* Special hole contest-closest to the pin and longest drive. Mulligans will be available. * Entries due by July 19

* Make checks payable to Josh Wallace Benefit Committee and send to Josh Wallace Benefit c/o Kathy Iman, P.O. Box 652, Nixa, 65714.